Séances de la conférence

The concept of “home” may take on various forms for migrants, from an actual place to an imaginary construct interwoven with their sense of belonging. Migrants often express emotional ties to their homelands as a way of connecting to their “roots” and making sense of their lives. Just as “home” can be physical and symbolic, returning to it can also be understood as a practice and an imaginary. Return also involves states (both home and host), which may encourage, force, or deny it. This session investigates the politics and poetics of “home” and return to enrich our understanding of them.

Migrants often maintain strong ties to their homelands while engaging in the process of homemaking within their host societies and participating in circular migration between their homeland and host country. Within their transnational lives, the notions of “home” and belonging may transform or gain new significance. This session explores the construction of a “new home” and the journey of integration in the host country, as well as the process of reintegration upon returning “home” to show the complexities and nuances of such processes in various global contexts.

This session brings together theoretical and empirical research papers examining the experiences, agencies, and activism of individuals within immigrant families who are engaged in the work of caring/social reproductive work, both locally or transnationally. In particular, the papers will address the following questions: How do social, economic, political, and cultural processes shape these women’s social reproductive work locally and/or transnationally? How do gender and other intersectionalities complicate social reproductive/care work locally and/or transnationally? This session invites papers pertaining to migrants/ migration that interrogate intergenerational relationships, care and support of older persons, the work of young/adult carers, and the implications of multigenerational households for adult women.

The process of immigrant integration is multifaceted and influenced by various factors, including economic opportunities, cultural adaptation, and social networks. While all these components play important roles, the influence of social networks, in particular, has garnered increasing attention. Social networks, comprising individuals and the relationships that exist between them, can significantly impact immigrants' experiences in their destination countries. This session aims to explore the intricate dynamics of how immigrants form new ties and the profound effect of these networks on the overall integration process. It seeks to address the question of what role the immigrant’s network plays in their integration process and overall well-being and falls under the theme of immigrant integration.

The process of immigrant integration is multifaceted and influenced by various factors, including economic opportunities, cultural adaptation, and social networks. While all these components play important roles, the influence of social networks, in particular, has garnered increasing attention. Social networks, comprising individuals and the relationships that exist between them, can significantly impact immigrants' experiences in their destination countries. This session aims to explore the intricate dynamics of how immigrants form new ties and the profound effect of these networks on the overall integration process. It seeks to address the question of what role the immigrant’s network plays in their integration process and overall well-being and falls under the theme of immigrant integration. We welcome submissions that examine the motivations and factors behind network formation, how immigrants connect with individuals and institutions, the role of networks in their integration process, specifically how networks facilitate or hinder their economic, social, political, and cultural integration, as well as their impacts on the immigrant’s overall well-being. We especially encourage submissions that focus on immigrants in Canada but are open to contexts outside of Canada.