While migrant presence and integration have shaped public debate and scientific enquiry for some time now, it has often been examined through eurocentric notions such as assimilation, multiculturalism and, more recently, cosmopolitanism. Yet, it is clear that not only Europe (or the Western World) has to deal with migration related issues, countries in Asia and the Middle East are also experiencing high inflows of variously skilled migrants, while the robustness of their borders are frequently tested by undocumented migrants and refugees.This conference proposes to give focus to globalising cities from Asia, Europe and the Middle East which are marked by the diversity of their population and distinct ways of managing migrant diversity.
Monday 9 july 2018
09:15 Registration
09:30-10:15, Welcome remarks and introduction
- Manuelle Franck,president of Inalco
- Kathy Rousselet, Sciences Po-CERI, coordinator of social sciences and humanities at USPC
- Michiel Baas,National University of Singapore
- Delphine Pagès-El Karoui, Inalco/USPC
10:15-10:30 Coffee break
10:30-12:30
Session I, Dynamics of segregation and affective (and virtual) citizenship
Chair : Thomas Pfirsch (Université de Valenciennes)
- Migration, vertical segregation and vacant houses in Athens. An exploration through the Athens Social Atlas, Stavros Spyrellis(Independent researcher, France) & Thomas Maloutas (Harokopio University, Greece)
- Mapping patterns of segregation in Dubai: towards a new research agenda for a social geography of Gulf Cities, Yasser Elsheshtawy(Independent researcher) & Delphine Pagès-El Karoui (Inalco, France), Françoise Bahoken (IFSTTAR, France)
- Affective Citizenship in Dubai and Singapore: Rethinking (im)migrant integration and urban belonging from a non-Western prism, Laavanya Kathiravelu(Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)
- Civic virtues, migrants and video volunteers: Visual Conscriptions in contemporary Dubai, Bindu Menon(University of Delhi, India)
12:30-14:00 Lunch Break
14:00-15:30
Session II, Landscapes of urban diversity
Chair: Pushpa Arabindoo (Paris Institute for Advanced Studies)
- Searching for South Asian Migrants in the City: Beyond Little India and Temples, Aurélie Varrel(CNRS, France)
- Interstitial Space and the Urban Landscape in Doha, Qatar, Andrew Gardner(University of Puget Sound, USA)
- Exploring urban diversity through the foodscapes: a comparison between Paris (France) and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Hadrien Dubucs(Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
15:30-16:00 Coffee break
16:00-18:00
Session III, Politics of non-integration and integration
Chair: Aurélie Varrel (CNRS, France)
- Paris and the Migrant Crisis: Welcoming, Unwelcoming, Neutral?, Catherine Lejeune(Paris Diderot University, France) & Camille Schmoll (Paris Diderot University, France)
- The Politics of Non-Integration: Enclavement, Enclosure and Enforcement of Restricted Mobility of Transient Migrant Workers in the Globalizing City-State of Singapore, Theodora Lam (National University of Singapore)
- From ‘folk devils’ to ‘undesirable victims’: thinking through the management of migrant settlements in Paris’ public spaces, Muriel Froment-Meurice(Paris Nanterre University, France)
- Geographies of encounter in the ‘maid agency’: (Re)producing binaries and the politics of misrecognition in the cosmopolitan city-state of Singapore, Kellynn Wee(National University of Singapore) and Brenda Yeoh (National University of Singapore)
18:30: Cocktail
Tuesday, 10 July
09:00-10:30
Session IV, Tensions around cosmopolitan encounters and belongings
Chair: Brenda Yeoh (National University of Singapore)
- Sweeping the streets of Paris to counter gentrification processes: Chinese migrant sex workers’, Hélène Lebail(Sciences Po Paris), paper written with Marylène Lieber (Université de Genève)
- Domestic Mother-Tongue Maintenance; Cosmopolitan Maternalisms & Carework Among (Im)migrant Kodavathees, Chand Somaiah(National University of Singapore & Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia)
- On temporary visas, state officials and racial privilege, Caroline Osella(University of London)
10:30-11.00: Coffee break
11:00-13:00
Session V, PhD Clinic
Commentator Laavanya Kathiravelu:
- Student Mobility and ‘Cosmopolitan’ Spaces: experiences from the Global South, Zane A. Kheir(National University of Singapore),
- « Between Self-Segregation and Urban Diversity: An Analysis of Spatial Observing Diversification of Urban public Spaces through Women Spatial Practices: the case of Filipina Domestic Workers in Amman, Daphné Caillol(Paris Diderot University)
Commentator Andrew Gardner:
- Filipino highly skilled returnees in Metro Manila: Return migration, reintegration infrastructures and urban tranformations, Karen Liao(National University of Singapore)
- Art Scenes and Expression of Identity among citizens and foreigners in Bahrein, Nevyne Zeineldine(Inalco, France)
13:00-13:15 Concluding Remarks,Michiel Baas
13:15-14:30: Lunch Break
14:30-17:30 Field excursion
