Archives as Spaces of Grassroots Debate on Migration and Mobility – IMISCOE Network Conference

IMISCOE is the largest international network of researchers working in the field of migration studies. This year’s annual conference (Paris, Institut Convergence Migration, July 1–4, 2025) received a record number of submissions and brought together nearly 1500 active participants. The conference not only offered space for the presentation and discussion of specific case studies but also served as a platform for broader reflection on the need to “decenter” migration studies that is to move beyond Western-centric research frameworks and rethink the very process of conducting research. The program included many inspiring panels that raised fundamental questions about why and for whom we conduct research, and how to do so in a more effective and responsible way.

In her presentation, “Archives of and from Protest: Co-producing Knowledge and Memory of Migration in Poland,” Dr. Izabela Kujawa spoke about archives as spaces of grassroots knowledge and memory production that enable the development of new approaches and languages for describing both migratory experiences and their broader frames and contexts.