Attached is a call for abstracts for an international workshop entitled "MIGRATION TO AND FROM IRAQI KURDISTAN: NEW TIMES, NEW MIGRATIONS?" 

[Moderator's note: Please see the call for abstracts pasted below.]

Whether it is in spite of or because of the turbulent history of Iraqi Kurdistan, research on its wide range of migration processes is underdeveloped. This workshop is intended to be a response to that imbalance in research priorities, all the more striking given the surge of international interest in the region nowadays.

The workshop will take place in Oslo, Norway, at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) on May 8, 2015. Deadline for submission of abstract is March 24.

Experienced and early career researchers working on relevant issues are invited to submit contributions. A limited number of travel grants are available. Contributions from researchers based in Iraqi Kurdistan are particularly welcome.

Best regards,

Erlend Paasche
Doctoral researcher
Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)

________________________________________

Workshop on Iraqi Kurdistan and migration: Call for abstracts
8 May 2015, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)

Migration to and from Iraqi Kurdistan: New times, new migrations?

The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) welcome you to an interdisciplinary workshop on migration issues in Iraqi Kurdistan. Experienced and early career researchers currently working on issues relating to migration and Iraqi Kurdistan are invited to submit contributions.

The purpose of the workshop is twofold. Firstly, to advance our understanding of migration to Iraqi Kurdistan. This includes but is not limited to:
*Return migration from the region and from Europe.
*The sudden and dramatic influx of displaced people in the wake of Islamist political violence and state failure, and its implications for the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG).
*Labour migration from South East Asia and elsewhere.
*The influx of international and regional companies and their employees, as well as embassies, military and humanitarian personnel, etc.

Secondly, the workshop aims to identify the past, present and future processes of international migration from Iraqi Kurdistan. This includes but is not limited to:
*Asylum and reunification migration to Europe.
*'New' forms of migration to 'new' destinations, e.g. business travels to China.
*Kurdish diplomats abroad.
*International research fellowships and international student mobility.

Iraqi Kurdistan has undergone major transformations during recent decades, witnessing repression, genocide and ethnic persecution, but more recently also staggering though inequitable economic growth and urban development. Whether it is in spite of or because of the region's turbulent history, research on migration in Iraqi Kurdistan has remained remarkably absent given its empirical magnitude and theoretical implications. The dearth of substantial research is all the more striking given the recent surge of international interest in the region. As a quasi-state, the study of the KRG could also lend itself to the comparative study of migration in the process of state formation.

This workshop, in conjunction with the project Possibilities and Realities of Return Migration (PREMIG), aims to bring together researchers working on such issues for a one-day exploratory workshop. The Peace Research institute Oslo (PRIO) will cover accommodation (two nights) and meals during the workshop. A limited number of travel grants are available for participants who are unable to cover their own travel expenses. Applicants in need of such assistance should request it explicitly when submitting their abstract.

The abstract, up to 250 words, must be sent to [log in to unmask] by 24 March 2015. It must be accompanied by the author's name and affiliation (institution and department), email address, and a brief biography. Authors will be notified by 26 March and selected invitees will receive their invitation to participate in the workshop, 8 May 2015. The workshop (presentations and discussions) will be held in English only. The organiser particularly encourages the participation of researchers from universities in Iraqi Kurdistan.

For any further questions or information, please contact:

Erlend Paasche
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Phone: (+47) 47 40 12 16
Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)


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