Call for Papers

20th ANNUAL ALEKSANTERI CONFERENCE ONLINE: EURASIA AND GLOBAL MIGRATION

Dates and venue: 27–29 October 2021, Online via Zoom
Organiser: Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland

#Aleksanteri2021 #migrationconference

Conference themes

The 20th Annual Aleksanteri Conference brings together scholars exploring dimensions of global migration to, from and within the Eurasian space. For the purposes of this conference, the geographic domain of the Eurasian space includes Central and Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet space. We discuss migration and the agency of migrants in terms of social, political, cultural and economic processes and flows, which redefine the contours of national boundaries and affect societal development in both sending and receiving societies. Migration to, from and within the Eurasian space has been a part of flows and processes between the Global North and Global South, but also a part of the building of past empires.

Historically, the impact of migration in many fields, such as economy and culture, has been enormous. In addition to these, migration affects national politics, global inequality, urbanization, local communities, travel of ideas, cultural renewal, institutional development, labor markets, innovation, education and social policy,  as well as foreign and security policy. Migration also requires transnational solutions as a part of national and regional migration policy. New migration flows and processes can be expected due to political upheavals, environmental degradation and climate change.

Questions for consideration

In the 20th Aleksanteri Conference, we ask what kind of migratory flows and processes can we detect in Eurasia? What has been the impact economically, culturally, politically and strategically in both sending and receiving countries? What has been the significance of Eurasian migration in other parts of the world? What are the peculiarities of today´s Eurasian migration? What kinds of transnational solutions to migration are required in Eurasia? Who are migrants and how do they live their lives? What has been the contribution of migrants to innovation and development in different fields? How have transnational communities and the travel of ideas changed the Eurasian space?

We invite you to discuss a broad range of migration-related topics through these contemporary and historical perspectives. The conference organising committee will also consider other relevant questions related to Russian, Central and Eastern European and Eurasian Studies. The virtual form of the conference will have some effect on the overall number of panels we will organize this year.

Submissions

All abstracts must contain the following information to allow a sound referee review:

  • Abstract title
  • Abstract structure: aim, background, methods, findings and conclusion/recommendations
  • Abstract text in English within the given word limits    
  • All authors’ and co-authors’ names and affiliations
  • Contact information (name, email address) of corresponding author(s)

Individual paper proposals: Please submit your individual abstracts of 300-500 words via the paper submission form. The organisers will form a limited number of thematic panels from the highest rated individual proposals. NB: If you submit a paper for an organised panel, please do not submit it as an individual paper proposal.

Panel proposals: Panels should consist of 3-4 paper presenters and a chair. In panels of 3 papers it is also possible to include a discussant. Panels should aim for an international composition. Please submit your panel proposal, including an abstract of 300-500 words, via the panel proposal submission form.

Roundtables: Each roundtable will feature a structured discussion on a timely theme or problem that requires a more open format of debate than a conventional paper session. Roundtables must have a moderator and 3-5 speakers. Please submit your roundtable proposal, including an abstract of 300-500 words, via the roundtable proposal submission form.

The deadline for proposals was April 30, 2021.

All abstracts will be reviewed and rated by scientific experts for abstract quality and presentation content. Notification of acceptance for paper, panel and roundtable proposals will be sent via email by 23 June 2021. Abstracts of accepted papers/panels/roundtables will be published on the conference website.

Registration rates

Paper presenters, chairs and discussants

60e

Graduate students and participants with a yearly income of less than 30,000 euros

30e

Accompanying persons and observers not presenting a paper (partial participation in the conference is allowed)

20e

Guidelines for sessions

Panel sessions will last 90 minutes each and shall be structured as follows:
Oral presentation: 15 min (in panels with 4 papers) or 20 min (in panels with 3 papers)
Q&A: 30 min (or discussant's comments 10 min + Q&A 20 min)

The chair will introduce the panel and its participants, proceeding to make sure that time is allocated equally between individual presenters. If the panel has a discussant, the discussant will have 10 minutes to give their comments after all panelists present their papers.

Roundtables will also last 90 minutes. Please be mindful of time constraints so that we can achieve a fair allocation of time between participants.

Conference schedule and deadlines
  • Deadline for submitting paper, panel and roundtable proposals: 30 April 2021
  • Notification of acceptance: 23 June 2021
  • Online registration and registration fees due by 20 August 2021
  • Conference programme published by early September 2021
  • Conference: 27-29 October 2021
    General information

    The working language of the conference is English. Unfortunately, no translations can be provided.

    The conference will be held entirely online.

    All conference participants are required to register. Participants and observers who do not wish to give a paper or organise a panel or roundtable are also welcome to register and take part in the conference, their registration opens in September. Please see the ‘Registration rates’ section above for details.

    For further information, or if you wish to ask any questions, please contact the conference organisers at: fcree-aleksconf@helsinki.fi

    Welcome!

    Conference publication

    We aim to create an edited volume based on selected articles presented in the Conference for Helsinki University Press (HUP), a fully open access University Press, publishing high-quality scholarly literature.