BROAD-ER International Conference
Urban Spaces, Migrant Lives: Bridging Disciplinary Boundaries
24–26 September 2025 | Koç University, Istanbul, Türkiye
Venue: SNA Building (Room: SNA A22)
Join us at the forefront of migration and urban studies! Scholars, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners are welcome to attend our conference, organized as part of BROAD-ER, an EU-funded project by Koç University, Pompeu Fabra University, and the University of Amsterdam.
The BROAD-ER International Conference offers a unique platform to bridge disciplinary boundaries, fostering dialogue and collaboration to address the complex realities of migration and urbanization.
Description
Cities are increasingly recognized as key actors in migration governance and issues in both academic and policy discussions. The BROAD-ER International Conference “Urban Spaces, Migrant Lives: Bridging Disciplinary Boundaries” aims to advance discussions on connecting migration and urban phenomena across multiple dimensions of research and policy. Bringing together scholars, policymakers, and practitioners, the conference explores the dynamic intersections between migration and urban studies, addressing pressing challenges and future pathways in research and practice. The conference will address cities’ roles as key actors in migration governance, urban responses to varying topics of migration, and innovative approaches to bridging these fields.
See below for the program and more details.
Across three days, the conference will focus on:
Themes
The conference will take place at Koç University, SNA Building (Room: SNA A22), Rumelifeneri Campus, Sarıyer, Istanbul, Türkiye.
For details about Koç University, visit https://www.ku.edu.tr
For inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
Interested in attending as a listener? External participants are welcome! To join the BROAD-ER International Conference as a listener, please fill out the registration form here. Registration is free but required for access.
DAY 1 – WEDNESDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER
Theme: Cities as Actors in Migration Governance
09:00–09:30 | Registration
09:30–10:00 | Opening Remarks: Ahmet İçduygu (Koç University & MiReKoc)
10:00–11:00 | Keynote Speech: Peter Scholten (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
“Beyond the Local Turn: The De-migranticisation and Re-urbanisation of Migration Studies”
11:00–11:15 | Coffee Break
11:15–12:45 | PANEL 1: Cities on the International Stage
Chair: Ahmet İçduygu (Koç University & MiReKoc)
“International Networks and Migration Governance: Municipal Perspectives from Istanbul”
“From Gridlock to Groundwork: City Diplomacy in Global Climate Mobility Debates”
“City Diplomacy and Humanitarian Diplomacy”
12:45–14:00 | Lunch Break
14:00–15:30 | PANEL 2: Local Governments and National Dynamics
Chair: Ricard Zapata-Barrero (Pompeu Fabra University & GRITIM-UPF)
“Urban Autonomy Under Constraints: Migration Governance, Housing Crisis, and the Politics of Solidarity in Barcelona”
“State and Civil Society Relations in Local Immigrant Policymaking: Collaboration, Power and Conflict”
“Missing Municipalism? Immigrant Inclusion and Local Policy Responses in a Danish Context”
15:30–15:45 | Coffee Break
15:45–17:15 | PANEL 3: Grassroots and Emerging Urban Actors
Chair: Jan Rath (University of Amsterdam)
“The Struggle for Recognition in the Global City: Experiences of Undocumented Migrant Domestic Workers in Amsterdam”
“Contesting Migration at the Border: The Mobilization of Pro and Anti-Immigrant Grassroots Groups in the Border Town of Trieste”
“Activism and Human Rights from Below: Racialized Migrants Challenging Border Regimes in Berlin”
18:00 | Dinner
DAY 2 – THURSDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER
Theme: Urban Responses to International Migration: Addressing Challenges Beyond Governance
09:30–11:00 | PANEL 4: Cities and Forced Migration
Chair: Marie McAuliffe (PoliSync Centre for International Policy Engagement)
“Wandering in Paris, Residential Trajectories of Precarious Exiles”
“Decolonize Mapping, Seeing the City Like Undocumented People in the Case of Thessaloniki”
“Territorialized Migrant Solidarity Networks: In the Pursuit of a Humanitarian Residence Permit in Turkey”
11:00–11:15 | Coffee Break
11:15–12:45 | PANEL 5: Intersectional Perspectives on Cities and Migration
Chair: Sedef Turper (Koç University)
“Reimagining Gender and Migration through Youth Narratives in Istanbul’s Working-Class Neighborhoods”
“Neighborhood Ethnic Diversity and Wellbeing: The Role of Sense of Safety and Community Among Older Migrants and Natives”
“Exploring Nigerian and Congolese Migrants’ Intersectional Urban Negotiations Towards Belonging: From a Gendered Ethnography in Delhi, India”
12:45–14:00 | Lunch Break
14:00–15:30 | PANEL 6: Belonging, Participation, and Mobility
Chair: TBC
“Intercultural Participation of Chinese Migrants in the Chinese New Year Festival: Case Studies from Barcelona and Amsterdam”
“The Role of Ethnic Capital and Second-Generation Bosnian Migrant Entrepreneurship in Urban Transformation”
“Bridging Communities: The Impact of One-Stop Shop on Migrant Inclusion in Zagreb”
“Complex Migration in Global Cities: Skilled Migrants in Creative Industries Navigating Toronto”
15:30–15:45 | Coffee Break
15:45–17:15 | PANEL 7: Engaging Research and Policy Discussions
Chair: Ayselin Yıldız (İstinye University)
“From Competences to Incumbencies: Rethinking Multilevel Migration Governance Through the Role of Spanish Cities”
“Identity, Geopolitics and Urban Migration Governance in Transition: Saving International Geneva”
“Haven in a Heartless World? Amsterdam and the Tensions between and within the Local and the National”
“Beyond Migration: Inclusive Resilient Urbanization”
DAY 3 – FRIDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER
Theme: Future Pathways for Integrating Migration and Urban Studies
09:30–11:00 | PANEL 8: New Themes, Comparative Perspectives, Innovative Methodologies
Chair: Ayşen Üstübici (Koç University)
“Comparing Cities of Migration through Qualitative Comparative Analysis”
“Transnational Homeownership as an Intermediated Process in Toronto and Istanbul”
“Bridging Cities of Migration and Memories Studies”
11:00–11:15 | Coffee Break
11:15–12:45 | Closing Remarks