News from Members

From the Standing Group on Migration and Ethnicity

Call for Papers for Panel: “Migrant Organisations Under Pressure. Adaptation and Contestation in Democratic Backsliding Environments”, 2026 ECPR General Conference, 8-11 September 2026, Jagiellonian University, Kraków

Panel to be included in Section S16 “Contemporary Approaches to Migration Governance and Inclusion: Policies, Actors, and Everyday Practices”

Panel Chair

Dr Claire Vincent-Mory

Center for Ethnic and Migration Studies (CEDEM)

University of Liège

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Panel Abstract 

This panel focuses on the evolving contributions of ethnic and migrant civil society organisations to migration and inclusion governance and policy-making in host countries, at a time marked by unprecedented political antagonism. Ethnic, migrant, and diaspora organisations play a vital role in democratic societies, notably as key actors in social inclusion, minority politics, and transnational development cooperation. They do so through welfare provision and gap-filling, the mobilisation of expertise, advocacy, civic education, policy influence and contentious action (see for example Dijkzeul & Fauser 2020; Morales & Pilati 2016; Halm & Sezgin 2013; Odmalm 2004). Yet, these organisations operate today in increasingly hostile environments: beyond welfare state retrenchment and declining funding to the voluntary sector, many Western countries are facing democratic backsliding. These trends combine with increasingly restrictive migration and inclusion policies, as well as the criminalisation of migrant categories (e.g., Alonso et al. 2022 ; Sheffer 2003). In such a context of shrinking civic and political space, where ethnic and migrant organisations face delegitimisation and reduced opportunities, questions arise about their remaining room for manœuvre.

How do ethnic, migrant and diaspora organisations adapt their roles, strategies and repertoires? Do they adjust their practices, narratives, beneficiary selections, or do they ‘decouple’ (Meyer & Rowan, 1977)? To what extent do they resist and contest restrictive agendas, reframe goals, activate transnational networks? Crucially, what room remains for them to influence migration and inclusion governance, policy agendas, and public narratives?

We invite meso-level contributions addressing the limited attention to organisational dynamics in migration research (Lang et al. 2025; Pries 2010). Particularly welcome are empirical and interdisciplinary work exploring the mechanisms, constraints, alliances and internal tensions that shape the evolving democratic roles of ethnic, migrant and diaspora organisations. Last, we are equally interested in research focusing on local, national, regional and global level organisations and policy arenas.

Practical details

Paper proposals should be submitted via email to the panel chair Claire Vincent-Mory (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Proposals may not exceed 300 words and should include a title and a list of 3 to 5 keywords. Also, please specify the name of the institution and the email address associated with the MyECPR account of every paper presenter (if several authors, please provide all email addresses and institutional affiliations).

Deadline for submissions is December 22, 2025. Please make sure to indicate in the object of your submission email ‘2026 ECPR GC – Migrant Organisations Panel’. Applicants will be notified of provisional acceptance before January 1st. Please also note that this panel will take place in person (not remotely).