AAC : Conference « Contemporary forms of racism and discrimination », 18–21 september 2022, Ghent University, Belgium — LIMITE : 15/​03/​2022

Call for presen­ta­tions, symposia and dialogue sessions

CESSMIR’s second bien­nial confe­rence opens up an exchange plat­form for resear­chers, prac­ti­tio­ners and policy makers working in the broad field of migra­tion, inte­gra­tion and ethnic-cultural diver­sity. You are invited to share your ques­tions and exper­tise on unders­tan­ding and respon­ding to contem­po­rary forms of racism and discri­mi­na­tion from a broad, inter­dis­ci­pli­nary approach. With experts working in different domains of society, inclu­ding educa­tion, employ­ment, health care, housing, media, deviance and crime, archi­tec­ture, family, child support and social work, CESSMIR acti­vely seeks contri­bu­tions that speak to different audiences, but with a commonly shared focus on social exclusion.

The exclu­sion of social groups based on migra­tion back­ground, colour, reli­gion, language and legal docu­ments, amongst other aspects, remains a key social problem in socie­ties across the globe. Despite the advan­ce­ments made in terms of social justice and inclu­sion through processes of deco­lo­ni­sa­tion and anti-racism, racism and discri­mi­na­tion remain an everyday reality for large numbers of mino­ri­tised people. In addi­tion, recent economic and health crises have fostered inse­cu­ri­ties, popu­lism and economic and health inequa­li­ties, which in turn resulted in more open pola­ri­sa­tion and hosti­lity between different racia­lised and ethni­cised groups. It is there­fore para­mount that acade­mics and prac­ti­tio­ners remain focused on unders­tan­ding and tack­ling racism, discri­mi­na­tion and social exclu­sion in order to develop a more cohe­sive and just society. 

Possible topics include but are not limited to :

  • Theo­re­tical pers­pec­tives on concepts of race, ethni­city, racism, discri­mi­na­tion and exclusion
  • Empi­rical studies and pers­pec­tives on racism and discri­mi­na­tion across a variety of settings, such as, but not limited to : labour markets, (urban) housing markets, educa­tion, health care, justice, family counselling
  • Care prac­tices
  • Parti­ci­pa­tion and integration
  • Discri­mi­na­tion based on migra­tion back­ground, skin colour, language, reli­gious back­ground, legal status, etc.
  • Insti­tu­tional racism
  • Discri­mi­na­tion and racism in discourse (e.g. (social) media discourse, poli­tical discourse, policy making, anti-racism acti­vism, etc.)
  • Stereo­types, preju­dice, implicit bias, stigma, label­ling, hate speech
  • Inter­sec­tional approaches (how race and/​or ethni­city inter­sect with class, gender, sexuality,..)
  • Expe­riences, prac­tices and responses of racia­lised and ethni­cised mino­rity groups
  • Expe­riences, prac­tices and responses of insti­tu­tional actors and policy makers attemp­ting to tackle racism and discri­mi­na­tion (police, justice, compa­nies, sport fede­ra­tions, social housing autho­ri­ties, schools, etc).
  • Anti-discri­mi­na­tion poli­cies and legislations
  • Anti-racism acti­vism

We strongly welcome empi­rical and theo­re­tical contri­bu­tions reflec­ting on the processes of racism, discri­mi­na­tion and exclu­sion in the Global South. We also parti­cu­larly welcome contri­bu­tions aiming to bridge race and migra­tion studies in Europe. Given its inter-disci­pli­nary approach, CESSMIR encou­rages contri­bu­tions from prac­ti­tio­ners and policy makers. Equally, we welcome resear­chers working from very different theo­re­tical and metho­do­lo­gical approaches and from both junior and senior voices in their field.

Dead­line for submis­sions : 15th of March 2022 (you can submit your proposal HERE)

Formats for contributions

The follo­wing formats will be accepted for submission :

Indi­vi­dual presentations
Indi­vi­dual presen­ta­tions will be grouped into thematic sessions of 4 presen­ta­tions based on provided keywords. Each accepted presen­ta­tion is given 15 minutes for their presen­ta­tion, followed by 5 minutes for a discus­sion with the audience. Each thematic session lasts 90 minutes. Submis­sions for indi­vi­dual presen­ta­tions should include a proposal of no more than 2,000 charac­ters, inclu­ding spaces. A refe­rence list is not required.

Click here to submit an indi­vi­dual presentation

Symposia
A sympo­sium is a focused group of presen­ta­tions on a common theme. Sympo­sium orga­ni­sers are encou­raged to include multiple disci­plines, a diver­sity in presen­ters’ back­grounds, and if possible contri­bu­tions from prac­ti­tio­ners or policy makers. A sympo­sium lasts 90 minutes and consists of 3 to 4 contri­bu­tors and a discus­sant, who summa­rises and comments on the presen­ta­tions and mode­rates the public discus­sion. We strongly encou­rage inter­ac­tion with the audience. Each contri­bu­tion is given 15 minutes. There should be at least 30 minutes for a general discus­sion. Submis­sions for symposia should include a proposal consis­ting of an overall short text of the sympo­sium as a whole (no more than 3,000 charac­ters, inclu­ding spaces), and a short abstract of each of the contri­bu­tions (each no more than 2,000 charac­ters, inclu­ding spaces). A refe­rence list is not required.

Click here to submit a sympo­sium proposal

Dialogues
A ‘Dialogue’ is a focused session, in which a societal issue is tackled in-depth. More speci­fi­cally, the contri­bu­tors bring academic and non-academic know­ledge to the table and as such contri­bute to a deeper unders­tan­ding of the issue and of ways to tackle it (what has been done in prac­tice and policy, what was the ratio­nale behind it, what works for whom in what ways, etc.). This is done with contri­bu­tions from an academic and from a practitioner/​policymaker, prefe­rably a practitioner/​policy maker working in Belgium and a practitioner/​policy maker working in another country than Belgium or in an inter­na­tional orga­ni­sa­tion. A dialogue session lasts 90 minutes and takes place on 19 September, between 4 and 5.30 pm, or on 20 September, between 11.30 am and 1 pm. Submis­sions for a Dialogue should include a proposal of no more than 4,000 charac­ters, inclu­ding spaces. A refe­rence list is not required.

Click here to submit a Dialogue session proposal

PhD pre-confe­rence presentations
PhD candi­dates may also submit preli­mi­nary research plans or work in progress in dedi­cated sessions taking place during the pre-confe­rence. Indi­vi­dual presen­ta­tions will be grouped into thematic sessions of 4 presen­ta­tions based on provided keywords. Each accepted presen­ta­tion is given 15 minutes for their presen­ta­tion, followed by 5 minutes for a discus­sion with the audience. Each thematic session lasts 90 minutes. Submis­sions for indi­vi­dual presen­ta­tions should include a proposal of no more than 2,000 charac­ters, inclu­ding spaces. A refe­rence list is not required.

Click here to submit a PhD Pre-confe­rence presentation

Other formats
We are open to other formats besides the ones mentioned above, inclu­ding, but not limited to, artistic inter­ven­tions, debates, etc. Submis­sions for other formats should include a proposal of no more than 4,000 charac­ters, and/​or a short video of max. 3 minutes.

Click here to submit another format

Confe­rence website