We invite abstract submissions for a Senior Researchers Symposium and applications for a PhD course to be held in Maastricht, the Netherlands, 19-21 October 2016. The events are organized jointly by the IMISCOE standing committee on Interaction of Migrant Integration and Transnationalism (IMITE) and Maastricht Centre for Citizenship, Migration and Development (MACIMIDE).
Senior Researchers Symposium, 19 October 2016
The symposium will bring together senior researchers who give presentations based on draft papers from original research. A keynote lecture will be given by Jørgen Carling, Research Professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). We invite abstracts for conceptual and/or empirical papers that relate to one or both of the following two themes:
Transnational practices versus transnational living — For several decades, the empirical study of transnationalism has concentrated on specific transnational practices, such as remittance-sending, communication, transnational entrepreneurship or transnational political activism. In an effort to reinvigorate the theoretical and conceptual development, we wish to revisit the issue of variation in types or degrees of transnationalism. Specifically, we ask whether we can identify forms of transnationalism that go beyond participation in transnational practices to more fundamentally leading lives that span two or more countries. If so, what are the hallmarks of such truly transnational living? And does it undermine the very notion of migration as a change of one’s habitual place of residence?
Transnationalism beyond migrants — Transnationalism has conventionally been seen as something that immigrants engage in. However, if we take a step back and use actual practices and ways of life as starting points, we may find that transnationalism involves a greater diversity of people with or without an immigrant background. There is a growing body of research on seasonal migration and transnationalism among native Europeans, for instance, but this is still poorly integrated with the broader migration literature and has yet to provide fundamental challenges to our conceptual frameworks. In what ways can we diversify our study of transnational subjects and thereby reconsider the meanings of transnationalism itself?
Abstracts of 200-250 words should be submitted by 1 June via the online submission form: https://prio.wufoo.eu/forms/imitemacimide-senior-symposium/
PhD Course, 19–21 October 2016
The three-day PhD course starts with attendance of the Senior Researchers Symposium on 19 October. The second day will contain lectures by senior IMITE researchers such as Godfried Engbersen and Jørgen Carling as well as invited speakers including Valentina Mazzucato, on the concepts, theories and methodologies of research on transnationalism and its connections with integration. On the third day, PhD students will present their research in smaller groups under the guidance of a senior IMITE researcher and receive feedback on their work. We invite applications from PhD candidates who engage with transnationalism in their research and have an interest in conceptual and theoretical innovation.
Applications including an abstract of 200-250 words should be submitted by 1 June via the online application form: https://prio.wufoo.eu/forms/imitemacimide-phd-course/
Practical info: There is no participation fee for either of the events. Participants will need to cover their own accommodation expenses, but can request partial funding for their travel expenses. The decisions on acceptance and funding will be made by the end of June. For further questions please contact Dr.Özge Bilgili at