Mobility and digitalization
This theme explores how digital technologies—from AI-driven migration governance to online religious networks—are transforming the regulation and lived experience of mobility. Panels may address migration management and automation, digital inclusion and education, and digital religions and identities as forms of mobility. Together, they examine how digital infrastructures reshape belonging, everyday life, and gendered and racialised inequalities in access to movement.
Discrimination, racism and discourses about migrants and migration
This theme explores discrimination, racism, and public discourses surrounding migrants and migration. It focuses on how negative attitudes toward migrants are expressed and reproduced through xenophobic and racist stereotypes, prejudices, and discriminatory behaviours across different domains such as media, politics, labour markets, education, and everyday social interactions. Contributions may examine systemic forms of discrimination, the rise of exclusionary and white supremacist rhetoric, and the ways in which migration discourses and governance can reinforce stigmatization and normative ideas about belonging.
Circulation of information and misinformation on migration and migrant communities
This theme connects work on the circulation of information, misinformation, and disinformation on migration and migrant communities. Papers may explore how narratives about migration are produced and spread through media, digital platforms, and social networks, as well as how misinformation circulates within and beyond migrant communities. These dynamics are important for understanding how public perceptions of migration are shaped and how migrants themselves access, interpret, and share information related to mobility, rights, and integration.
Social class, social networks and mobility
This theme invites scholarly debate on how social class and social networks (e.g. social capital) shape migrants’ trajectories (from pre- to post-migration) and affect belonging, inequality, and integration.
Labour migration and labour market inclusion
This theme connects research on labour migration and migrant labour market inclusion, on for instance, new and old patterns of labour migration, labour market segmentation, gender differences, high-skilled and low-skilled labour migration, labour shortages and global strategies for skills, and the labour market impact of automation.
Migration and integration governance
This theme invites scholarly contributions on the governance of migration and integration. For instance, work on admission and integration policies, the exclusionary role of policies, and externalization of migration governance.
Reflexivity and inclusion in methods of migration studies
This theme explores (re)production of knowledge in the transnational field of migration research. We welcome contributions addressing migration research agendas themselves, e.g. by examining the knowledge-policy nexus or other relations shaping scientific and broader inquiry in this field. We also invite methodology- or method-focused contributions and related ethical considerations. In particular, we invite studies including intersectionality applications (engaging with gender, race, ethnicity and other forms of identity), inclusive co-creation or data digitalization elements.