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.
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.