Apologies for cross-postings - please respond directly to session organisers.
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Call for Papers
Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, 7-11 March, 2006, Chicago,
USA.
MIGRANT WORKERS/TRANS-NATIONAL LIVES IN THE 'GLOBAL' CITY
Session organizers:
Kavita Datta, Yara Evans, Joanna Herbert, Cathy McIlwaine, Jon May and Jane
Wills ¡V Department of Geography, Queen Mary, University of London, UK.
Linda McDowell, School of Geography, University of Oxford, UK.
Over the past decade or so urban studies has become increasingly dominated by
studies of the 'Global City'. A huge literature has emerged, ranging from
detailed empirical examinations of the economic and social structure of such
cities, to sophisticated conceptual critiques of the 'Global City Thesis'.
Yet, not-with-standing the prominent role accorded to migrant labour within the
global city thesis, surprisingly little work has focused directly upon the
experiences of migrant workers themselves in the contemporary city. This double
session aims to bring together scholars from a range of fields to stimulate
debate around the role of migrant labour and the experiences of migrant workers
in the 'global city'.
The brief for the sessions is deliberately wide ranging. Not least, though it is
anticipated that some contributors will wish to focus on the experiences of
migrant workers in those cities usually attributed 'Global City' status
(London, New York and Tokyo, Paris, Frankfurt and Los Angeles) we do not wish to
limit contributions to work on these places. Rather, our hope is that the
session may contribute to the task of opening up conceptualisations of the
'global city' beyond the rather narrow economic criteria usually deployed to
consider instead the diverse set of trans-national relationships and flows that
are now apparent in a range of (most?) cities, including those in the Global
South. Likewise, though the session will focus upon the role and experiences of
migrant workers, it is hoped that the sessions will attract a broad array of
papers, ranging from detailed empirical studies of particular migrant groups in
particular places, to more abstract, conceptual discussions of the role of
migrant labour in the 'global city' more generally.
Though contributors should not feel restricted to these themes, papers
addressing the following are especially welcome:
* The place of migrant workers within the labour market and wider social
geographies of the 'global city'
* The labour market position and experiences of particular migrant groups in
particular sectors: both high skilled/high paid and especially lower
skilled/low paid workers
* The experiences of migrant workers in the work place
* 'Ethnic enclaves', 'ethnic economies' and 'ethnic entrepreneurs'
* Migrant labour and the 'informal economy'
* Individual and household survival strategies: income and employment beyond
the paid work place
* Trans-nationalism and the construction of home and community within the
'global' city
* The politics of identity and Difference in trans-national, migrant
communities
* The role of the state in migrant worker's lives
* The intersections of migration and labour market policy and practice
If you wish to discuss a potential contribution to the session please contact
Jon May ([log in to unmask]) or Linda McDowell ([log in to unmask]).
ABSTRACTS to Jon May ([log in to unmask]) by Friday 16th September.
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