Call for contributions for a workshop proposal:
Teaching migration and racism in times of contested human rights
24th IMISCOE Annual Conference | 6–9 July 2027 | Brussels
Organisers: Fanny D’hondt (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) and Christine Lang (Osnabrück University)
Standing Committee Education and Social Inequality & Working Group “Reflecting on Teaching” of the Standing Committee Reflexivities in Migration Studies
After inspiring workshops during the last two IMISCOE Annual Conferences, which provided constructive spaces to share experiences, exchange ideas and collectively reflect on how to further transform our teaching practices, we invite participants to continue this conversation in light of the 2027 conference theme, United for Human Rights and Global Equity. This year’s workshop turns its attention to how we teach migration and racism in times when migration and established human rights frameworks are increasingly contested and we witness a reinforcement of structural inequalities in many societal spheres while far-right, nationalist and racist forces are on the rise in many countries.
With teaching always situated in current societal transformations, these developments are not merely a “background noise” for our teaching practice. They raise crucial questions and call upon our responsibility as teachers to foster critical thinking and engagement among students as part of collective efforts towards more equal, inclusive societies. Against this background, the workshop aims to center around these questions:
What does this changing context mean for how we teach about migration, racism, power and structural inequalities – and in different kinds of teaching settings? How can we address and discuss uncomfortable and challenging issues - e.g. related with postcolonial power relations or structural racism - in different student groups? How can we enable open, critical, and inclusive discussion in our classes in increasingly polarised climates? And can human rights frameworks provide a shared point of reference to move beyond polarised debates and foster meaningful dialogue, without reducing fundamental rights to a matter of political preference?
We welcome contributions sharing concrete teaching practices, experiences, challenges and unresolved pedagogical dilemmas. The workshop aims to provide an open and constructive space to exchange experiences, learn from one another and collectively explore how we can strengthen our teaching in response to contemporary challenges.
If you are interested in participating with a short input, please send an abstract (max. 150 words) on the topic(s) you would address including the teaching settings you would refer to by 25 September to