Queen’s-BSIA International Migration and Mobilities Graduate Symposium (Queen’s-BSIA IMMGS) Symposium

Borders and (Un)Bordering: Analyzing Migration and Mobility Through Contestation and Conflict

The second annual Queen’s-BSIA IMMGS invites abstracts for this year’s in-person event at the Balsillie School of International Affairs at Wilfred Laurier University.

Papers with a focus on international migration and mobility are always welcome but applications are encouraged to address this year’s theme of Borders and (Un)Bordering: Analyzing Migration and Mobility Through Contestation and Conflict.

The Symposium is open to all graduate students, whether preparing to publish their work or just getting started.

The Queen’s-BSIA IMMGS is designed to showcase graduate students’ work and promote their professionalization. Students will have the opportunity to discuss and receive feedback on their ongoing research from peers and a panel of invited faculty members.

The Symposium seeks to tease out how bordering occurs along race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, indigeneity, or religion to force some people more than others into involuntary (im)mobility.

The Symposium will open with a panel discussion and a guest talk by Dr. Reena Kukreja on her multi-media exhibition 'This Is Evidence', a co-creative done by groups of undocumented South Asian male migrants in Greece, hosted by the International Migration Research Centre and on display at the BSIA in conjunction with the Symposium.

Call for Abstracts:

Submissions due on January 20, 2024 to: QBIMMGSS@gmail.com
 

Important Dates:

  • Saturday, January 20, 2024
    Abstract submissions due

  • Friday, February 23, 2024
    Final paper drafts due for discussant review

  • Friday, March 22, 2024
    Symposium, Balsillie School of International Affairs, Waterloo

Organized by:

  • Dr. Reena Kukreja, Associate Professor, Global Development Studies, Queen’s University

  • Dr. Kim Rygiel, Professor, Political Sciences & BSIA, Wilfrid Laurier University

Theme:

Borders, and (Un)Bordering: Analyzing Migration and Mobility Through Contestation and Conflict

We invite students to contribute work that contributes to the theme including but not limited to:

  • Borders and (re)shaping of identity formation

  • Politicization or localization of borders

  • Border Selectivity and policing of 'othered' bodies

  • Border controls during the pandemic

  • Digital forms of bordering

  • Impact of colonialism on borders in settlers societies

  • Everyday bordering as a horizontal bordering practice

  • Solidarity alliances, resistances, and efforts to decolonize and unborder

Submission Instructions:

The Symposium consists of three panels and one roundtable discussion.

The three panels are designed to be opportunities for students in the later stages of their projects to receive detailed feedback from invited faculty on work that is being prepared for publication. The roundtable is designed for graduate students in the earlier stages of the program who may wish to share and receive feedback and discussion on preliminary ideas.

Accepted students to the panels will then have until Friday, February 23rd 2024 to  submit a 4000 word paper that will be circulated in advance to the invited discussants to prepare their feedback that will be shared following presentation of the papers at the Symposium. All roundtable participants are to submit a 2000 word paper by February 23rd, 2024.

Abstract Submissions:

Abstract submissions should include the following and are due on Saturday, January 20, 2024.

  • 150 word bio
  • 500-600- word abstract
  • Indication about panel or roundtable participation

Successful applicants will be notified of their acceptance by Saturday, January 27, 2024.

Email Submissions to: qbimgss@gmail.com

Symposium Timeline:

  • Thursday, March 21, 2024
    Traveling Queen’s participants arrive in Waterloo

    Panel Discussion and Opening talk to ‘This Is Evidence’ by Dr. Kukreja at 7:00pm
     
  • Friday, March 22, 2024
    Panel and roundtable talks 9:00am-4:00pm