ROUND I
S1 Building Better Communities: Critical Perspectives and Collaborative Solutions for Inclusion and Liveability in the Netherlands
Socio-economic integration into Dutch society presents significant challenges, particularly in cities like Rotterdam, where conflicting aspirations and institutional barriers complicate settlement. This panel examines three projects focused on disadvantaged communities, exploring themes of identity, belonging, housing, education, and employment while showcasing innovative, scalable strategies for enhancing liveability and social inclusion in Dutch cities.
The "Becoming a Rotterdammer" (BaR) project, funded by the Municipality of Rotterdam, identifies strategies that status holders, NGOs, and public servants can implement to support refugees within the existing system. By utilizing the "Positive Deviance" approach, BaR highlights successful refugees who have navigated shared challenges, offering valuable insights.
In tandem, the "Empowering Refugee Women" project examines barriers these women face in accessing higher education, including disruptions from asylum center transfers and the stresses of the asylum process on their support networks. Additionally, we will analyze Rotterdam's historical development, shaped by migration and trade, and discuss the implications of planning policies like the Rotterdam Act, which seeks social integration but raises concerns about housing equity and anti-discrimination violations affecting disadvantaged groups. Through dialogue among academics and practitioners, this panel aims to generate actionable insights for fostering inclusive communities that empower refugees and other vulnerable groups in urban environments.
PANELLISTS
- Roel O. Lutkenhaus - New Momentum & Center for Digital Inclusion, Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social Sciences (BMS), University of Twente
- Ludo Pfaff – New Momentum Rotterdam
- Lieke Galbraith - Stichting Mano Rotterdam
- Adel Al Baghdadi - Stichting Mano and We Organization
- Amanda Alencar - Erasmus School of History, Culture, & Communication, EUR
- Noemi Mena Montes - Department of Language and Communication, Radboud University
- Audrey Esteban - Faculty of Architecture, TU Delft
S2 Navigating Hegemonic Western Queer Discourses and Local Conceptualisations of Sexuality
This panel delves into the complex interplay between dominant Western LGBTQI+ narratives and local expressions of sexuality and gender. Through a multidisciplinary lens, it examines the tensions that arise when local queer identities confront hegemonic Western frameworks, particularly in the context of LGBTQI+ migration and asylum. Panelists explore how queer asylum seekers often navigate and sometimes reshape their identities to align with Western conceptualisations, potentially losing the specificity and nuance of their cultural contexts.
The panel underscores the importance of migration studies seriously considering sexuality and gender, not only in how SOGI-minorities utilise or are restricted by migration policies, but also in how norms about sexuality and gender are embedded in the very foundation of institutions dealing with migration. Additionally, it calls on researchers working with queer migrants and NGOs to “do the work first” by thoroughly exploring existing resources before reaching out for interviews or other expert input, ensuring that their inquiries are well-founded.
By addressing these dynamics, the panel highlights the broader implications of how local queer identities in various geographical settings may be reframed or subsumed under dominant global narratives. This critical examination uncovers the power dynamics at play and offers insights into preserving the richness of local queer experiences amidst global advocacy. By bringing together diverse academic perspectives, the panel aims to foster a deeper understanding of the intersections between global and local discourses on sexuality and gender and their impact on individuals and communities worldwide.
PANELLISTS
- Andrew Shield – Institute for History, Leiden University
- Jamel Buhari – Institute for History, Leiden University
- Elias Tissandier-Nasom – Leiden Law School, Leiden University
- Alex Huang – Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, EUR
S3 The Architecture of Migration Governance
Designing spatial orderings as well as their related spatial divisions, considered to be one of the core activities of architects, are generally discussed as the central focus of the spatio-material implementations of migration governance. Nominally, the built manifestations of any political system are established to maintain a certain degree of control over the movement of people, protecting core values of the systems that created them. On another level, however, these architectures also define, project and fabricate desired social, economic and cultural conditions. Practices of spatial production, therefore, in which histories of the past and realities of the present blend and project cultural values into a desired future, to the great detriment of migrants who fail to meet desired criteria. Within contemporary debates, this has finally been countered by including alternative governance practices that often rely on the network of Indigenous communities, local networks and less visible infrastructures of migration.
The panel will center-stage counter-acts by certain activisms, activist groups and actions vis-à-vis the spatio-material implementations of institutionalized governance processes related to the (non-)control of migration. This call will thus delve into what constitutes the exact agency of alternatives to the architecture of migration governance implementations and how these counter/alternative practices have resulted in certain material-spatial conditions.
ORGANISERS
Negar Sanaan Bensi, Marc Schoonderbeek, and Aleksandar Stanicic (Borders & Territories group, Faculty of Architecture, TU Delft)
PANELLISTS
- Marc Schoonderbeek - Faculty of Architecture (BK), TU Delft
- Dirim Dinçer - Faculty of Architecture (BK), TU Delft
- Houry Jamkojian - Faculty of Architecture (BK), TU Delft
- Jessica Steinman - Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, EUR
- Stefan Gzyl - Faculty of Architecture (BK), TU Delft
RESPONDENTS
- Thea Hilhorst - International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) EUR
- Zeynep Kasli - International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) EUR
- Aleksandar Stanicic - Faculty of Architecture (BK), TU Delft
- Jess Bier - Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, EUR
S4 The Economic and Political Aspects of Migrant Integration in the Netherlands
We propose a comprehensive panel that will delve into the multifaceted process of migrant integration, with a specific focus on the Dutch context. The discussion will cover economic, political, and societal dimensions, providing a holistic view of the challenges and opportunities in this area. The panel will feature three distinguished speakers: an academic from Leiden University, a policy analyst from the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB), and a policy maker from the Ministry of Justice and Security. The academic expert will present recent research on the economic impacts of migrant integration in the Netherlands, focusing on the fiscal effect of different types of migrants. The policy analyist will provide insights into the lived experiences of migrants, the societal perception of migration, and the broader economic determinants and effects of migration. The policymaker will discuss governmental strategies and policies aimed at facilitating migrant integration, as well as the role of different political perspectives in dealing with this issue. Together, these speakers will offer a rich, interdisciplinary perspective on migrant integration. The panel will foster a deeper understanding of how economic, political, and societal factors converge to shape the success or failure of migrant integration process in the Netherlands.
ORGANISERS
Olaf van Vliet and Eduard Suari-Andreu (Department of Economics, Leiden University)
PANELLISTS
- (Discussant) Peter Scholten - Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, EUR
- Corné van Ree - Department of Economics, Leiden University
- Bert van Sitphout-Kramer - Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB)
- Katja van Hoorn - Ministry of Justice and Security
S5 Unveiling Dutch Racism: Historical Perspectives on Colonialism, Migration, and Anti-Racism Movements
In this panel session, three researchers will shed light on the presence and denial of racism in Dutch society using historical examples and narratives. Combining expertise on Dutch colonial history, Moroccan migration history, and history of anti-racism movements, this panel will kick-start a much-needed conversation during the conference about racism in the Netherlands.
Public and political debates around diversity often neglect or suppress discussions about structural and systemic inequalities like racism. Although this gap is gaining more attention, the historical perspective remains frequently overlooked. Yet, history can provide crucial insights into the persistence and denial of racism in Dutch society (Wekker, 2016). This panel seeks to enrich the academic debate on the deep-rooted nature of Dutch racism, which is anchored in colonial history and orientalism. The panel discussion will be based on the following two questions: 1) Is there a connection between racism, the colonial past and unequal citizenship? 2) Does historical research and historical analysis have a role in combating inequality in contemporary citizenship?
To rethink diversity governance, the aim of this panel is to disseminate historical knowledge that enables us to address structural inequalities effectively. Panel format: A panel conversation on the basis of 2/3 propositions/questions
PANELISTS
- Suzan Abozyid - Institute for History, Leiden University
- Nadia Bouras - Institute for History, Leiden University
- Karwan Fatah-Black - Institute for History, Leiden University
- Eva van Gemert - ESSB/EUR & VU Amsterdam
- Hilda van Reeuwijk - from IDEM Rotterdam
ROUND II
S6 Changing the Narratives of Migration
In recent decades, migration has been framed as a challenge for the European Union and its Member States resulting in an arsenal of financial instruments, strategies, and initiatives to ‘mitigate’ migration. However, these policy interventions are frequently not based on scientific evidence about the drivers of migration decisions. Instead, migration policies are underpinned by assumptions that further polarize the public debate on migration.
This panel kicks off with ten statements that demonstrate how facts of migration dynamics and often polarizing narratives are not aligned. Next, we illustrate how design roles such as framing and cocreation can empower the audience to create more informed opinions and create dialogues for alternative migration policies with policymakers, representing citizens' perspectives on migration issues. Participants will learn new ways to contribute to migration debates that challenge current positions and inform policies constructively Following a fishbowl setup, participants are invited to join the panellists for a transdisciplinary debate.
ORGANISERS
Simona Vezzoli (International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) EUR) & Ingrid Mulder (Faculty of Human-Centered Design, TU Delft).
PANELLISTS
- Nina Staal - IOM the Netherlands, Moving the Middle project
- Katharina Natter - Leiden University, ‘Teaching Immigration in European Schools’ (TIES) project
- Riccardo Biggi - Leiden University, Here to Support
- Matthijs van Dijk - Reframing Studio, TU Delft
- Ariele Empirio - Strategic social designer
S7 Diversifying Loneliness
One of the most urgent and complex societal challenges of today is loneliness. Research and interventions to reduce loneliness have often been developed for older adults and white people, which means that our knowledge about other groups is limited. This panel aims to present research projects that will diversify academic and non-academic initiatives about loneliness in the Netherlands. Moreover, these projects approach loneliness from an interdisciplinary perspective and in collaboration with societal partners such as self-advocacy groups and social workers. The panelists will give short presentations about what we know about the loneliness of three social groups (older adults with a migrant background, young adults, and people with mild intellectual disabilities) and will explain which new research their project entails. After the individual presentations, the panelists will together with the audience discuss how different groups could be compared and the challenges of diversifying loneliness,
PANELLISTS
- Tineke Fokkema - Erasmus University & Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI-KNAW)
- Dimitra Dodou - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, TU Delft
- Jenna Pfeifer - Mechanical Engineering, TU Delft
- Paul van Trigt - Institute for History, Leiden University
S8 Evolving Discourses, Policies, and Practice: International Student Mobility in a polarized Netherlands
For some decades the attraction and inclusion of international students has been a sine qua non in Dutch higher education policy. However, a recent policy proposal by the Dutch Minister of Education to restrict international student intakes signals that the tide has turned. International students are considered increasingly as a threat and strain for the protection of Dutch language, the accessibility and quality of higher education, and the provision of housing for Dutch students. This marks a clear shift in policy, which used to conceive of international students as desirable given they allow for an international classroom, facilitating international and intercultural competences among Dutch students, and their perceived value for and potential role in the labor market. In this panel, we bring together several planned and ongoing projects on discourses, policies and practices regarding international student mobility and seek to foster an interdisciplinary and inter-university dialogue among scholars working in the Netherlands on this emerging line of research.
Panel format: The aim of this panel is to share ideas and initial findings, test these with scholars and practitioners that make part of the LDE GMD community, explore synergies between projects, as well as to create a platform for exchange open to anyone interested in researching issues related to the backlash against international students mobility in the Netherlands. Therefore, instead of a classic format of longer presentations, we’ll opt for a science-slam format of short ‘pitches’ of these projects followed by an open discussion amongst presenters and with the audience.
ORGANIZER
Dr. Maria Schiller - Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, EUR
PANELLISTS
- Özge Bilgili - ERCOMER, Utrecht University
- Bahar Sakizlioglu - Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), EUR
- Maria Schiller & Luke van de Wouw - Department of Public Administration and Sociology, EUR
- Gian-Louis Hernandez - Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
- Christof van Mol - Tilburg University & Dr. Özge Bilgili, ERCOMER, Utrecht University,
S9 Situating the digital futures of migration in relation to the past and present
In this panel, we launch the recently funded LDE GMD community-project ‘Doing data justices – A collective, trans-disciplinary search for more pluralistic citizenships and doing the digital differently’ and welcome interested LDE GMD community members to join. The concept ‘data justice’ bridges anti-surveillance with social justice activism (Dencik et al, 2022). Together with Varia – a space for collective approaches to everyday technology in Rotterdam – and the communities we work with, the aim of this project is to consider responses to the manifold ways in which the datafication of governance of migration and diversity entrenches structural inequalities.
Here, we seek to understand how technological developments for migration governance resonate with longer histories of mobility and border control. Data collection has long been central to the constitution of power, for it allows governance from a distance. And practices around trialling techniques and technologies have often interacted with colonialism, institutionalised racism, and policing. We continue by exploring ‘newer’ practices around increased computational powers, data extraction and algorithmic innovations. These relate to the past and provide additional means for surveillance and control. In response, our community project is geared to seek a ‘multiplicity of bottom-up, transformative initiatives’ (Beraldo and Milan, 2019) to interfere, contest and re-appropriate present and future data practices.
PANELLISTS
- Mirjam Twigt - Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University
- Nanneke Winters - International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)
- Zeynep Kasli - International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)
- Jovan Pesalj - Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University
- Sofia Boschat Thorez - Varia Rotterdam
S10 The Incorporation of Immigrants in the Welfare State: Socio-Historical and Experimental Evidence in and Beyond Europe
This panel examines the intricate relationship between migration and social welfare, looking at it both in the light of socio-historical and contemporary experimental evidence. The contributions address socio-political conditions of access to welfare for migrants and refugees and start a discussion about what renders this access legitimate from the standpoint of multiple actors across time. The papers present a diversity of methodologies in the study of migration vis a vis social welfare, employing historical case studies, public opinion analysis and survey experiments.
Contributions adopt an interdisciplinary and international approach by looking at historical evidence on the integration of immigrants in European welfare states, experimental evidence on access to welfare benefits for refugees beyond Europe, and looking at the institutional determinants of welfare chauvinism across European countries. The panel is organized as a series of presentations of existing research followed by a dialogue with participants on possible synergies between socio-historical and experimental research.
ORGANISER
Alexandre Afonso - Associate Professor (Institute of Public Administration, Leiden University)
PANELLISTS
- Alexandre Afonso - Institute of Public Administration, Leiden University
- Zeynep Balcioglu Tasma - Department of Economics, Leiden University
- Thijs Lindner - Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, EUR
- Emily Anne Wolff - Institute of Public Administration, Leiden University