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Conceptual​ ​Crossroads

Rethinking​ ​Paradigms​ ​of​ ​Borders​ ​and​ ​Migration

Organising​ ​Committee​ ​(in​ ​alphabetical​ ​order)

Irene​ ​Alcubilla​ ​Troughton​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​-​ ​RMA​ ​Media,​ ​Art​ ​and​ ​Performance


Merve​ ​Burnazoğlu -​ ​PhD​ ​Candidate​ ​in​ ​Economics
Francine​ ​van​ ​Beusekom -​ ​RMA​ ​Media,​ ​Art​ ​and​ ​Performance​ ​Studies
Laura​ ​Candidatu -​ ​PhD​ ​Candidate​ ​in​ ​Gender​ ​and​ ​Postcolonial​ ​Studies
Cecilia​ ​Cienfuegos​ ​Martínez​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​-​ ​RMA​ ​Gender​ ​Studies
Mario​ ​J.​ ​Cunningham​ ​Matamoros -​ ​RMA​ ​Philosophy
Tamalone​ ​van​ ​den​ ​Eijnden -​ ​RMA​ ​Media,​ ​Art​ ​and​ ​Performance​ ​Studies
Hebah​ ​Omari -​ ​RMA​ ​Media,​ ​Art​ ​and​ ​Performance​ ​Studies
Vincent​ ​Reijnders -​ ​RMA​ ​Comparative​ ​Literary​ ​Studies
Leon​ ​van​ ​Rijsbergen -​ ​RMA​ ​Philosophy
Rosanne​ ​Rochustina​ ​van​ ​Ede -​ ​RMA​ ​Religious​ ​Studies
Gerwin​ ​van​ ​Schie​ ​(Contact) -​ ​PhD​ ​Candidate​ ​in​ ​Gender​ ​and​ ​Postcolonial​ ​Studies
Patricia​ ​Spronk -​ ​RMA​ ​Gender​ ​Studies
Theme
Migration is a widely contested topic in contemporary politics and media in Europe and
across the world. Debates on migration seem increasingly polarised as some actors argue
for open borders, globalisation and a broad acceptance of migrants, while others point to
perceived threats in relation to global security, economic stability and a ‘clash of cultures’. In
current debates, this selection of vocabulary and framing have become important factors in
shaping the discourse on various political, economic and social issues. In this sense
migration​ ​has​ ​become​ ​an​ ​umbrella​ ​term​ ​which​ ​has​ ​caused​ ​all​ ​nuance​ ​to​ ​be​ ​lost.

During this conference we would like to critically reflect on epistemic and ontological
characteristics of the concepts of migration and borders in order to deconstruct them,
broaden their implications and search for new ways of engaging with them. Our selection of
these two concepts as dialectically intertwined comes from an understanding of their
centrality, interrelatedness and their potential to create new insights on the matter. We
propose to consider borders not as fixed ‘objects’, but as complex forms, crossed by cultural,
linguistic, material and semiotic components that unfold in everyday relations
(Vaughan-Williams​ ​2009).

Far from representing mere geopolitical barriers for the movement of people, products and
capital; we suggest considering borders as ‘productive forces’ in the articulation of these
elements (Mezzadra 2013 ). We propose that the ideas of “traveling concepts” (Bal 2002)
and “nomadic theory” (Braidotti 1994) would help a conceptualization of migration and
borders to go beyond the often rather fixed meanings that are associated with these
concepts in public debates. Through this theoretical debate we hope to reflect on how
theories of migration and borders themselves have an evolving and mobile nature (Knapp
2005). In this context we would like to see migration over borders not so much as a problem,
but​ ​as​ ​a​ ​normal​ ​part​ ​of​ ​human​ ​conduct​ ​(Castles​ ​et​ ​al.​ ​2013​ ​[1993]).

The first goal of the conference is to show the multitude of possible uses of the concepts of
border and migration have, their interdisciplinary qualities, and the benefits and problems
associated with their mobility. A second goal is to critically engage borders and migration
with all fours Humanities Utrecht approaches (Linguistics, History, Philosophy and Media) in
order to show the academic, political, historical and geographical situatedness of the
concepts. We intend to open a space for debate in which we rethink the currently
narrow-shaped idiom and its framing. By doing so we hope to be able to move the
discussion​ ​forward​ ​in​ ​a​ ​productive​ ​and​ ​creative​ ​way.
Structure
The conference will offer a platform to various academics and MA/PhD students from
differing disciplines within the Humanities who are in any way affiliated with the theme of the
conference. In addition to the two keynote speakers, we plan to invite four more experts from
the Utrecht University itself to lead four panels. These panels give the opportunity to both
experienced and less experienced academics and students to share their work and will allow
for a more focussed debate in each of them. We will advertise a ​Call For Papers for
researchers​ ​to​ ​present​ ​their​ ​work​ ​in​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​four​ ​panels.

Keynote​ ​speakers
For​ ​the​ ​planned​ ​keynotes,​ ​we​ ​have​ ​selected​ ​several​ ​speakers​ ​to​ ​approach.​ ​A​ ​preliminary​ ​list
of​ ​three​ ​scholars​ ​relating​ ​to​ ​both​ ​key​ ​concepts​ ​is​ ​provided​ ​below.

● Saba​ ​Mahmood,​ ​University​ ​of​ ​California


Mahmood questions the validity of universalist claims that typically stem from Western liberal
epistemological traditions. She does this, with regard to conceptualizing ideas (e.g. on
agency and freedom), by investigating the ontological foundations on seemingly
commonsensical​ ​universalist​ ​concepts.

● Fatima​ ​El-Tayeb,​ ​University​ ​of​ ​California


El-Tayeb is an Associate Professor of Literature and Ethnic Studies at the University of
California at San Diego. Her research interests include African and Comparative Diaspora
Studies, Queer Theory, Transnational Feminism, European Migrant and Minority Cultures,
Muslim communities in the West, Queer of Colour Critique, Visual Cultural Studies and
Media Theory. Author of ​European Others. Queering Ethnicity in Postnational Europe
(2011).

● Tariq​ ​Modood,​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Bristol


Modood is a British Pakistani Professor at the University of Bristol. Modood teaches
Sociology, Politics and Public Policy. He is also the founding Director of the Centre for the
Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship and one of the leading authorities on ethnic minorities in
Britain.​ ​He​ ​is​ ​mainly​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​studying​ ​the​ ​issues​ ​of​ ​ethnic​ ​and​ ​religious​ ​minorities.

● Stephen​ ​Castles,​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Sydney


Castles is a sociologist and political economist. His current work is centered around themes
such as migration and development; effects of migration on both origin and destination
countries;​ ​transnationalism,​ ​and​ ​social​ ​transformation​ ​and​ ​human​ ​mobility​ ​at​ ​a​ ​global​ ​level.
● Seyla​ ​Benhabib,​ ​Yale​ ​University
Benhabib prefers a world with porous borders. She argues that political boundaries define
some as members, but lock others out. Her cosmopolitanism is strongly inspired by German
philosopher Immanuel Kant, who has argued for a principle which shows that every single
person​ ​has​ ​the​ ​right​ ​to​ ​go​ ​wherever​ ​they​ ​like​ ​without​ ​fear​ ​of​ ​hostility​ ​from​ ​their​ ​hosts.

● David​ ​Miller,​ ​Nuffield​ ​College,​ ​Oxford


Miller is a Professor of Political Theory and Official Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford. As a
political philosophy professor, Miller’s recent research has focused on the topic of global
justice and migration. Miller argues that those migrating to a state have rights, but that with
these​ ​rights​ ​come​ ​responsibilities.

Panels
The content of the panels will be centered around the texts and subjects provided by the
keynote speakers. A call for papers will be sent out to academics across several disciplines,
and we specifically want MA/PhD-students to participate in the panels. There will be four
speakers per panel and after they all had the chance to speak, we plan to leave half an hour
for further questioning on the broader topic of the panel in which not only the speakers, but
also the chair and other participants may join. The goal of the panels is to bring together
different people with varying expertise and opinions which, hopefully, will result in a fruitful
debate.

Roundtable
At the end of the day, a roundtable will take place to create a platform in which all viewpoints
and approaches of the conference are brought together. For this roundtable we want to
invite the two keynote speakers and the moderators of the four parallel sessions to engage
in​ ​a​ ​discussion.
Schedule

09:00​ ​–​ ​09:30 Registration,​ ​coffee​ ​and​ ​tea


09:30​ ​–​ ​09:45 Welcome​ ​by​ ​the​ ​organising​ ​committee
09:45​ ​–​ ​11:00 Keynote​ ​1​ ​and​ ​response​ ​by​ ​a​ ​UU​ ​staff​ ​member
11:00​ ​–​ ​11:30 Coffee​ ​break
11:30​ ​–​ ​13:00 Parallel​ ​panel​ ​I​ ​and​ ​II​ ​(chaired​ ​by​ ​UU​ ​staff)
13:00​ ​–​ ​13:45 Lunch​ ​break
13:45​ ​–​ ​15:00 Keynote​ ​2​ ​and​ ​response​ ​by​ ​a​ ​UU​ ​staff​ ​member
15:00​ ​–​ ​15:30 Coffee​ ​break
15:30​ ​–​ ​17:00 Parallel​ ​panel​ ​III​ ​and​ ​IV​ ​(chaired​ ​by​ ​UU​ ​staff)
17:00​ ​–​ ​17:15 Coffee​ ​break
17:15​ ​–​ ​18:15 Roundtable​ ​with​ ​keynote​ ​speakers​ ​and​ ​panel​ ​chairpersons
18:15​ ​–​ ​18:30 Closing​ ​words
18:30​ ​–​ ​19:30 Drinks​ ​and​ ​bites​ ​(+​ ​optional​ ​musical​ ​performance)
19:30​ ​–​ ​21:00 Dinner​ ​with​ ​participants
Bibliography
Bal,​ ​Mieke,​ ​and​ ​Sherry​ ​Marx-MacDonald.​ ​2002.​ ​Travelling​ ​Concepts​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Humanities:​ ​A
Rough​ ​Guide.​ ​Toronto:​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Toronto​ ​Press.

Braidotti,​ ​Rosi.​ ​1994.​ ​Nomadic​ ​Subjects:​ ​Embodiment​ ​and​ ​Sexual​ ​Difference​ ​in
Contemporary​ ​Feminist​ ​Theory.​ ​New​ ​York,​ ​NY:​ ​Columbia​ ​University​ ​Press.

Castles,​ ​Stephen,​ ​Hein​ ​de​ ​Haas,​ ​and​ ​Mark​ ​J.​ ​Miller.​ ​2013.​ ​The​ ​Age​ ​of​ ​Migration:
International​ ​Population​ ​Movements​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Modern​ ​World.​ ​Palgrave​ ​Macmillan.

Knapp,​ ​Gudrun-Axeli.​ ​2005.​ ​“Race,​ ​Class,​ ​Gender:​ ​Reclaiming​ ​Baggage​ ​in​ ​Fast​ ​Travelling
Theories.”​ ​European​ ​Journal​ ​of​ ​Women’s​ ​Studies​ ​12​ ​(3):​ ​249–65.
doi:10.1177/1350506805054267.

Mezzadra,​ ​S.,​ ​and​ ​Neilson,​ ​B.​ ​(2013).​ ​Border​ ​as​ ​Method,​ ​or,​ ​the​ ​Multiplication​ ​of​ ​Labor.
Durham​ ​and​ ​London:​ ​Duke​ ​University​ ​Press.

Vaughan-Williams,​ ​N.​ ​(2009).​ ​Border​ ​Politics.​ ​The​ ​limits​ ​of​ ​Sovereign​ ​Power.​ ​Edinburg
University​ ​Press.
Budget

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