We seek papers which explore intersections of migrant politics, nationalism and citizenship from the perspective of migrants, descendants of migrants, and diasporas broadly, as well as from the perspectives of states, as reflected in their policies.
This session seeks to bring together papers on the ways in which migrants are (and are not) political, in the current context where exclusionary nationalism is on the rise in many parts of the world. This is also a time at which more nation-states than ever before allow dual citizenship, motivated by very different interests. We seek papers which explore intersections of migrant politics, nationalism and citizenship from the perspective of migrants, descendants of migrants, and diasporas broadly, as well as from the perspectives of states, as reflected in their policies.
We encourage papers that question the extent to which migrants in different contexts are able to be political, and whether they feel that by doing so, they are effecting any meaningful changes in their lives and those of others. In turn, if they feel political/politicised, what are they able to do in material terms? What are the myriad impacts of migrant politics on urban, rural and online landscapes? And what are the limits to migrant politics in relation to power?
Furthermore, papers might engage actively with varying notions of nationalism – from the exclusionary – to the inclusive, in the context both of migrant politics and of states approaches to manage, facilitate or constrain such politics. Within this context, the empirical reality of dual citizenship, often allowing voting from abroad, is an important dimension of how migrant politics are stretched across time and space. There is therefore further need for systematic and comparative research to analyse the intersections of migrant politics, nationalism and citizenship.
Our understanding of politics is deliberately broad and seeks to encompass formal and informal activities and processes carried out in collective and individual ways. Our use of migrant is also broad and includes all those 'on the move'. We are also interested in new theorisations on migrant politics which resonate with the challenges and opportunities migrants have in the contemporary world, not least relating to changing geographies of nationalism and citizenship.
We welcome both empirical and theoretical papers, focusing on any part of the world, based on quantitative and/or qualitative data.
Session organisers: Liz Mavroudi (Loughborough University), Sophie Cranston (Loughborough University) and Marta Bivand Erdal (PRIO)
Please send your abstract (max 250 words) to Liz Mavroudi (e.mavroudi@lboro.ac.uk), Sophie Cranston (S.Cranston@lboro.ac.uk) Marta Bivand Erdal (marta@prio.no) by 25th October.
