Call for Abstracts – Migration Law in Times of Polarization
Work-In-Progress-Workshop | “Migration Law in Times of Polarization”
30 June 2025
We are pleased to invite all interested scholars from migration law and related fields to submit a short abstract to the Work-In-Progress-Workshop that will take place at the University of Vienna on 30 June 2025.
About the Workshop
The workshop provides a forum for migration researchers at all levels of experience to present work-in-progress and discuss it among colleagues. We welcome papers dealing with topics of Global Mobility, International Protection and Modes of Belonging. The overall focus of the workshop lies in addressing current challenges related to human rights, inclusion, and participation.
We are interested in the complex legal framework of international migration movements and their impact on societies, covering the dynamics and regulation of labour, education and family migration, as well as border control and freedom of movement. We are further interested in the interaction between national, European, and international regulations that govern forced migration, including the implementation of the reformed Common European Asylum System (CEAS) at a national level. We also welcome contributions dealing with socio-legal processes of integration in immigration societies. Comparative legal research is encouraged.
We look forward to submissions engaging with one or more of the following questions, among others:
- How do recent developments in law and politics impact the international movement of people and its effects on migrants and the societies of origin and destination? Which role do right-wing populism and authoritarianism play?
- What are the economic, legal, and infrastructural conditions shaping current global migration trends?
- Which role do cross-border migration networks and private actors play in migration processes? How do they affect migrants’ agency?
- What are the new challenges brought about by climate change and geopolitical shifts?
- Which novel challenges do various practices of cooperation and externalization of responsibilities pose?
- What standards need to be met to provide adequate international protection?
- What is the role of the law in promoting an inclusive society?
- How does law shape the understanding of belonging in migration societies?
- What is the role of citizenship law and the rights of migrants to participate?
- What is the significance of social practices of inclusion such as empowerment, representation, and education, as opposed to practices of exclusion, including discrimination and racism?
We welcome researchers at all career stages to present their works in progress and to use the opportunity to discuss draft ideas and concepts.
The workshop will kick off the Inaugural Conference of the Vienna Centre for Migration & Law (VCML), which takes place on June 30 and July 1, 2025. Participants of the workshop are also invited to attend the conference and vice versa (click here for more information about the conference).
About VCML
The VCML aims to advance innovative research on migration law and the social and political dynamics in immigration societies, by taking a comparative, interdisciplinary approach. It looks at migration law and processes, with a specific focus on the human rights of migrants. The Centre serves as a platform for academic exchange, interdisciplinary discussions, and collaboration with practitioners. We encourage pioneering research on the legal framework and social dynamics in immigration societies. You can find more information about the Centre here.
How to submit
If you are interested in participating in the workshop, please submit your abstract by March 16, 2025 in an e-mail with the subject “Work-in-Progress-Workshop” to migration.rewi@univie.ac.at. The abstract should have 250 words maximum in a PDF file with your name, and a short bio (100 words).
There is no registration fee for the Work-In-Progress-Workshop and the Inaugural Conference.
Participants are generally expected to cover their accommodation and travel through their home institutions.
We particularly encourage submissions from those who are from underrepresented regions and/or institutions. We can support travel and/or accommodation costs for a limited number of presenters with a lack of financial resources who would otherwise be unable to attend. Funding in these cases is limited to max. € 300 per person.
We look forward to your submissions! For queries, please email migration.rewi@univie.ac.at.