Economic, political and forced migration has been present for quite some time in the reality of Balkan Muslims. Wherever they went, they carried the experience of their lives lived at the crossroad of different worlds. Ever since 1960`s, the economic and political migration of Bosniaks has been directed towards Western countries, especially the European ones. Even more so after the signing of framework agreements allowing Yugoslav workers to find temporary jobs in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Scandinavian countries, but also North America and Australia. During 1990`s the horrors of war in B&H resulted in forced migrations of Bosnian and Herzegovinian population. So far the focus has been more on economic and political dimensions of migrant experience and life, and less so on the social, cultural and religious dimensions.
Therefore we would like to open up the floor for dialogue about diasporic and migrant identities and also establish a network of scholars and researchers working on these issues. We are hoping to offer an opportunity for exchange and discussion of ideas, theoretical and empirical findings, as well as methodological approaches focusing on diasporic communities of Bosniaks, Balkan Muslims, but also other communities whose work and experience could be compared to them.
Therefore we invite researchers, academic staff, professors, but also post-graduates, PhD candidates, activists and civil society representatives to submit their contributions for this conference. We welcome contributions covering segments of the following topics:
1. Intersection of migrant identities: relationship between tradition, culture, religion, and language
2. “Traditional Islam” and challenges of globalization: meeting different “types” of Islam and belonging to Ummah
3. Challenges and perspectives of return: Imaginary narrative of return versus real return (of first, second, and third generations)
4. Citizenry, citizenship, belonging: experiences of migrants
5. Social inclusion/exclusion and religious human rights of minorities (e.g. halal slaughter, male circumcision, hijab,
etc.)
6. National and transnational dynamics in migrant experience
7. Plurality and “Unity in diversity” in migrant experience
8. Dis/harmony at home: multidimensionality of cultural code of descendants of migrants (second and third
generation)
9. Forms and experiences of religious practice in migration
10. Being a Bosniak in the West: ethnically, culturally, religiously and/or politically
11. “Invisibility” of the Muslim identity of Balkan migrants: between integration and assimilation
12. Challenges of distance: “closeness” of Europe vs. “remoteness” of North America and Australia
13. Sources of religious authority: formal and informal
14. Imams and believers for the 21st century in a migrant context
15. Traditional and alternative visions of organizing migrant communities and their multi-functionality 16. Gender relations and migrations
Important deadlines:
Deadline for abstract submission: 30.6.2014
Deadline for applying for participation without paper presentation: 1.3.2015
Deadline for applying for methodological workshop: 1.3.2015
Successful applicants will be notified by: 15.7.2014
Deadline for submission of the paper draft: 31.1.2015
Deadline for submission of the final paper: 31.5.2015.
Key note speakers:
Prof. Dr. Safet Bandžović, Institute for History, University of Sarajevo
Prof. Dr. Xavier Bougarel, L'Ecole des haute études en sciences sociales - EHESS (School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences), Paris
Prof. Dr. Samuel Behloul (tbc), Director, Commission of the Swiss Bishops Conference for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, Fribourg
The conference will host a workshop on “The methodology of Migration Research” (3 hrs) led by dr. Selma Porobić, director of the Centre for Refugee and IDP Studies (CESI) of the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Sarajevo.
Selected papers will be published in a peer-reviewed conference proceedings. Official languages of the conference are Bosnian and English. Simultaneous interpretation will be available during the whole conference. There is no conference fee. Food and working materials will be provided for all participants. Additionally accommodation will be provided for speakers.
During the conference, there will be an exhibition space where the conference participants can present their work, activity or research in the form of flyers, brochures, posters, presentations, etc.
You can apply for participation at the conference (with all accompanying activities) at the following link: „Application for conference participation“ (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uT3zLtA7BFIWlGBwFCLjG0JSPDNn4NswcvielAcvzys/viewform?edit_requested=true)
Institute for Islamic Tradition of Bosniaks is a research institution of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our work on the Islamic tradition of Bosniaks focuses on theoretical and empirical research of written, oral, spiritual and material Islamic tradition of Bosniaks as well as their social and cultural reality. The Institute directs its efforts at provision and encouragement of high quality, objective research in our research areas as well as at establishment of contacts with similar local and international institutions. For all further questions please do not hesitate to contact us at: info@iitb.ba. Our website is: www.iitb.ba.