The IMISCOE Research Initiative “Refugees in European Localities: Reception, Perceptions and Policies” organizes a research panel on “Refugee reception: From uncertainty to innovation” during the IMISCOE Annual Conference in Prague (30 June – 2 July 2016).
Panel abstract:
Albeit to greatly varying extents the European Union’s member states are confronted with unpredictable arrivals of refugees from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries. In spite formal agreements on a joint European approach, the Union appears unable to act accordingly thus adding to confusion, a widespread sense of emergency. Among others this leads to ad-hoc policy making.
This is true for responses on the level of the Union (e.g. co-opting Turkey into guarding Europe’s borders) as it is on the national and local level. Those responses furthermore stem from national traditions and capabilities regarding reception and integration or rejection of refugees. In view of these uncertainties we invite papers exploring innovative local refugee policies which arise in response to national uncertainties. We are furthermore interested in papers exploring avenues towards a sustainable common European approach, likewise address and redressing national challenges (e.g. caused by the uneven distribution of refugees among the member states, the responsibility shifting towards non-member European countries).
Paper proposals should include author names, title and a max. 250 word abstract. Please send your proposals to Jeroen Doomernik (
Organisers of the panel:
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Birgit Glorius, associate professor at Chemnitz University of Technology, Institute for European Studies, Chair of Human Geography of East Central Europe, Chemnitz, Germany
Dr Jeroen Doomernik, assistant professor at the University of Amsterdam, Dept. of Political Science and researcher at the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies (IMES) Amsterdam, Netherlands