[Commlist] ECREA DMM-IIC Conference and PhD Workshop "Beyond Borders: Creative Methods and Reflexive Approaches to Migration, Media, and Intercultural Dialogue"

ECREA DMM-IIC Conference and PhD Workshop "Beyond Borders: Creative 
Methods and Reflexive Approaches to Migration, Media, and Intercultural 
Dialogue"

16-18 September 2025

Tallinn University, Estonia

Extended abstract submission deadline: 28 February

Keynote speakers:

Professor Mirca Madianou (Goldsmiths, University of London, London, 
Great Britain)

Dr Diyako Rahmani (Massey University of New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand)

Dr Karolina Nikielska-Sekuła (University of Warsaw and Jagiellonian 
University, Poland)

**All information can be found on the conference and PhD workshop 
website: https://www.tlu.ee/en/bfm/dmmiic <https://www.tlu.ee/en/bfm/dmmiic>

Recent global challenges and the rise of far-right governments worldwide 
have intensified the persecution of migrants, transforming borders into 
harsh zones of exclusion and surveillance. In this climate, migration is 
increasingly criminalized, and those seeking safety and opportunity are 
often met with hostility, reinforcing narrow nationalist ideologies. 
This environment has posed new methodological challenges for research in 
migration contexts, as well as prompted reflexive considerations on how 
knowledge is generated, how participants are cared for, and how spaces 
are created to support human dignity and mobility.
This conference invites researchers to propose abstracts that address 
methodological and reflexive perspectives in the exploration of 
multifaceted migration experiences and intercultural communication in 
the context of migration persecution and border closing. Creative 
methods, such as digital storytelling, participatory media projects, 
ethnographic film, and arts-based research, offer rich and nuanced 
perspectives that address current challenges in migration 
criminalization. These methods not only capture the complexities of 
diasporic lives, but also empower communities to express their own 
narratives and co-create knowledge.
We encourage contributions that reflect on these innovative approaches 
to migration and media studies, as they have the potential to deepen our 
understanding of how identities, relationships, and cultural dialogues 
are shaped and redefined through media. Beyond methodological 
approaches, we also encourage researchers to explore more broadly a 
reflexive analysis of the dynamic intersection of migration, media, and 
communication.

We encourage submissions that propose alternative, reflexive creative 
methodological approaches and critical epistemologies to address topics 
such as:
●     Intercultural encounters and intercultural dialogue
●     Practices of exclusion, surveillance, and persecution at the border
●     AI, platform affordances, and infrastructures in relation to 
migration and intercultural communication
●     Digital counter publics and diasporic activism
●     Digital communication on intercultural perceptions and interactions
●     Multilingualism in digital spaces and its implications for social 
cohesion
●     Digital transnationalism
●     Ethical dimensions of researching migration, media, and 
intercultural dialogue
●     Identity formation and sense of belonging

In addition to the conference, we will be hosting a joint workshop for 
PhD students on the 16th of September 2025. The workshop will focus on 
creative methods of research, alternative ways of writing, and reflexive 
approaches to migration, media, and intercultural dialogue. If you are a 
PhD student and would like to participate, please submit your 
application via online submission form. Please note that it is possible 
for Doctoral researchers to attend both the workshop and the conference, 
or only one event. More detailed information about the PhD workshop 
structure is available here.

Submission guidelines:
●     Individual Submission: Present your research or insights in an 
oral presentation to allow for a focused discussion of your work. 
Submissions should include an abstract (max 400 words including keywords 
and main references) and a short biographical note (max 100 words). 
Abstracts should be submitted electronically, using online submission 
form by 28 February 2025.

●     Panel: This format encourages a deeper exploration of topics from 
various perspectives and fosters dynamic interactions among 
participants. Submissions for panels should include a chairperson, a 
rationale for the panel (250 words), and the names of four speakers 
including their abstract (250 words). Submissions for panels should be 
submitted via online submission form by 28 February 2025.
     
●     Workshop: Conduct a 60 to 90-minute workshop that offers hands-on 
experiences and practical engagement with the theme. This format is 
ideal for fostering collaboration and active learning among attendees. 
Workshop submissions should include a chairperson, a rationale for the 
workshop (250 words), and the names of 5 speakers/participants with each 
biographical note (max 100 words). Submissions for workshops should be 
submitted via online submission form by 28 February 2025.

The conference will be in person only.

Conference Deadlines:
February 28 - Abstract submission deadline.
early April - Notification of acceptance.
May 31 - Early registration deadline.
June 30 - Late registration deadline.

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION (DEADLINE: 31 MAY)
Regular fee: 250 Euros
PhD student (conference and PhD workshop): 150 Euros
PhD student (conference only): 100 Euros
Student (PhD workshop only): 50 Euros
Social Dinner (open to all): 45 Euros

LATE REGISTRATION (DEADLINE: 30 JUNE)
Full registration: 300 Euros
PhD Student (conference and PhD workshop): 175 Euros
PhD student (conference only): 110 Euros
Student (PhD workshop only): 65 Euros
Social Dinner (open to all): 45 Euros

We look forward to receiving your contributions!

Organising committee

ECREA International and Intercultural Communication
Anastassia Zabrodskaja (Tallinn University, Baltic Film, Media and Arts 
School, Estonia)
David Ongenaert (Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Melanie Radue (University of Passau, Germany)
Shomaila Sadaf (University of Jyväskylä, Finland)

ECREA Diaspora, Migration and the Media
Sara Marino (University of the Arts London, United Kingdom)
Silvia Almenara Niebla (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium)
Çiğdem Bozdağ (University of Groningen, The Netherlands)
Miriana Cascone (Södertörn University, Sweden)
Claudia Minchilli (University of Groningen, The Netherlands)
Rob Sharp (University of Sussex, United Kingdom)

Contact Person: If you have any inquiries, please reach out to the 
Conference Chair, Professor Anastassia Zabrodskaja, at 
(anastassia.zabrodskaja /at/ tlu.ee).

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