News from Members

Title

Connecting cultures, negotiating heritages: The role of cultural heritage in migrants´ integration and social cohesion - June 30 - July 2, 2020

Information

Organisers: Karolina Nikielska-Sekula; Amandine Desille
Deadline for submission: 26 November 2019

Notification of acceptance¹: 29 November 2019

We are inviting the participants to the workshop on the role of cultural heritage in migrant´s integration and social cohesion to be held at IMISCOE 17th Annual conference, June 30 - July 2, 2020. We invite contributions from the authors conducting empirical research within the heritage-migration nexus. Prospective participants are requested to send a short description of their research and indication how their work can contribute to one or more of the core questions of the workshop (max. 250 words) along with their institutional affiliation to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Abstract

Cultural heritage has gained importance as a new way of talking about a racialized idea of nation. It can be seen as an indicator of autochthonous belonging (Geschier 2009) yet it can often serve to legitimise cultural racism (Balibar 1991). As a matter of fact, the access to and recognition of cultural heritage within the nation states determines belonging on a socio-cultural level. In this light, incorporation of immigrants and their heritages into the heritages of their new homelands gains a new meaning as a potential de-colonization and integration factor. While the researchers from various disciplines focused on the role of civic and socio-economic rights such as the access to citizenship, welfare services, and labour market in migrant´s inclusion, the scholarship on cultural heritage of migrants as a facilitator of integration is still limited. This workshop calls for a profound discussion on the role of minority, post-colonial and mainstream cultural heritage in the integration process. The questions and topics that will be addressed in the workshop are:

• What are the local and national cultural policies towards the cultural heritage of migrants? Is heritage addressed in integration policies?
• What are the possible ways of inclusion and protection of migrants´ heritage within the heritage of the mainstream society?
• Does the denial/recognition of migrants’ cultural heritage diminishes/enhances the inclusive potential of civic and socio-economic rights?
• When does the heritage of migrants become an obstacle/opportunity for integration and social cohesion?
• What is the relationship between the participation in mainstream heritage and the level of integration of migrants and social cohesion?
• To which extent can migrants’ participation in cultural heritage pave the way for a de-colonial cultural heritage?
• How to research cultural heritage in a context of migration: limits and opportunities of various methodologies

More about the 17th IMISCOE Annual Conference

¹ Please note that the workshop proposal will be submitted to the IMISCOE conference organisers by December, 1st and will compete within the general call. The final notification of acceptance will be determined by the decision of the organisers of the conference. Acceptance to the workshop does not equate the acceptance to the conference at this point.