We sat with Mathias Czaika and Albert Kraler to discuss about the 2025 Spring Conference in Krems.
Could you provide some insights about the institution hosting this IMISCOE Spring Conference and introduce the team involved in organizing it?
This year’s host is the Department for Migration and Globalisation (DEMIG) at the University for Continuing Education (Danube University) Krems, Austria’s youngest public university, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025. In the Austrian context, the University stands out in terms of its strong inter- and transdisciplinary orientation, reflected by the thematic rather than disciplinary logic underpinning the organisation of the University’s departments. The latter has been an essential factor for the establishment of the Department for Migration and Globalisation in 2009 as the only university department in Austria focused on migration studies. Over more than 15 years of its existence, the department has evolved from a small research unit geographically focused largely on Austria to a mid-sized research centre with 25 staff members at different career levels and from different disciplinary backgrounds, a strong international orientation and a broad geographical and thematic research scope. While the entire department has been involved in the organisation of this IMISCOE Spring conference in some way or another, the overall organisation has been led by a core team consisting of Lydia Rössl, Isabella Skrivanek and the two of us. Several other colleagues have been involved in the conference organising team, while the programme has been put together with the support of a programme committee involving the core team and additional colleagues from DEMIG and other IMISCOE institutes, as well as 30 reviewers.
The conference theme is “The Regularity of Irregularity: Rethinking Migration Paradigms.” Could you elaborate on this topic and its relevance to current migration studies?
Irregular migration has so far not been a focus of past IMISCOE Spring and Annual Conferences. Yet a focus on migrant irregularity helps to shed light on a number of established research themes in migration studies (therefore also the subtitle ‘rethinking migration paradigms’), including the effect of migration policies on migration aspirations, decision making and processes, the role of different intermediaries or ‘migration infrastructures’ more generally, the impact of legal status on migrant incorporation, belonging, participation and membership, or migrant irregularity as an object of governance, political contestation, mobilisation and knowledge production.
Apart from highlighting the persistent presence of ‘irregularity’, the phrase ‘the regularity of irregularity’ also invites participants to think of migrant irregularity not as an exception from the rule, but as a regularity and a particular articulation of those rules and constantly changing ‘regulatory infrastructures’ that define what is ‘regular’ and distinguish legitimate forms of movement from illegitimate ones. While migrant irregularity is ultimately anchored in state control of mobility and its monopolisation of ‘legitimate means of movement’ (John Torpey) it overlaps with, builds on, and reinforces other lines of stratification along the lines of class, race, ethnicity and gender, amongst others.
We think that academic engagement with migrant irregularity has become all the more pressing in the light of the increased salience of irregular migration as an issue of public concern. Indeed, when it comes to public debates about migration, we seem to live in an “age of irregular migration”, with the focus on irregularity overshadowing other possible perspectives. By making migrant irregularity a topic of academic reflection, we want to take a step back from the fever curves of day-to-day politics and open a space for a nuanced and differentiated understanding of the realities of irregular(ised) movements and settlement, including ways forward, both scientifically and politically.
What can you tell us about the conference program? What aspects do you think attendees will find most engaging or valuable?
The conference programme – 26 panels framed by two keynotes, followed by comments from discussants, as well as two roundtables – is organised around four key themes: irregular migration processes and journeys, integration and settlement processes, the governance of irregular migration, and knowledge production on irregular migration. Three keynote speakers will provide reflections on migrant irregularity from different geographical perspectives and disciplinary and epistemological angles, highlighting the contextuality and contingence of migrant irregularity. Two roundtables will provide a space for reflecting on knowledge production on irregular migration and related ethical and political questions, as well as on current and future directions for research on irregular migration. Complementing the main conference programme will be a great series of interactive sessions organised by our PhD students in cooperation with PhD students from other Austrian universities.
While we have deliberately organised the conference as an on-site event, it is possible to follow all sessions online. In addition, there is a separate online stream on the first conference day. One aspect which we have tried to achieve as best as possible is the organisation of sessions based on individual paper submissions into thematically coherent sessions. A related aspect is the appointment of discussants also for these panels, ensuring that all papers get valuable feedback.
We’d love to hear more about your work as migration scholars and your involvement with IMISCOE. Can you share your journey with us?
Albert: I have been a member of IMISCOE since its launch as an EU-funded network of excellence in 2004, then in my previous position as a researcher at the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), one of the founding institutes of the network, in Vienna. While the network of excellence phase of IMISCOE in many ways was a strange animal – a network in the making, organised as a funded project, including activity plans and deliverables for the following years, it offered great opportunities for junior researchers like myself, such as travel funding or preparing ‘state of the art’ reports together with established colleagues in the field (some of these reports have been turned into books and have aged remarkably well). Overall, IMISCOE has profoundly shaped my academic journey, offering opportunities to learn and grow, to make connections with peers, but also practitioners and policymakers linked in one way or another to the network, to develop new ideas and funded projects, etc. I also had the pleasure to have been a long time member of the IMISCOE editorial committee between 2007 and 2022 and of the Maria Baganha Award between 2009-2019- both highly rewarding positions, enabling me to read a good number of great publications in the making, with an intensity I otherwise would hardly had been able to do.
As a scholar, one of my research interests is how legal and political categories become categories of analysis and are used to understand, but also to ‘construct’ and shape migration. This has led me to develop an interest in practices of administrative and statistical data collection, migration statistics and statistics on policies, as well as the production of legal statuses by migration policies and their role in shaping membership or access to rights, amongst others. Currently, I combine these two lines of analysis in the Horizon Europe funded “Measuring irregular migration and related policies” (MIrreM) project that I am coordinating. The project and the networks created by it have been tremendously helpful for organizing this IMISCOE Spring Conference.
Mathias: My IMISCOE journey began during my PhD and, more significantly, during my postdoc years starting in 2010, when my academic perspective expanded beyond economics into the interdisciplinary field of migration studies. Through IMISCOE, I learned to appreciate the theoretical, methodological, and empirical richness of the social sciences in studying migration. As an ever-expanding network of migration scholars, IMISCOE continues to be an invaluable source of inspiration, fostering critical thinking and fresh ideas. However, there is still room for greater integration of some underrepresented disciplines and research areas.
When I took on the role of Head of the Department for Migration and Globalisation in 2017, one of my first priorities was to establish our institute as an institutional member of IMISCOE. This step was not only about individual connections, but about opening the network to our entire team. Since then, colleagues from Krems have taken on various roles within IMISCOE, including participation in the PhD Network and different committees.
Every year, I look forward to spending a few days at the IMISCOE conferences—not just to engage in academic discussions, but also to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. IMISCOE is more than just a scientific network; it is also a social one—some may even call it the IMISCOE family.
As a scholar, my work has focused on drivers of migration, migration aspirations, and migration processes. I have also always been interested in migration policy formation and its effectiveness, thus combining my interest in migration processes and migration policy, and examining how migration policies impact on migration dynamics. Much of my recent work has taken place in international collaborative projects, usually involving many other colleagues from the wider IMISCOE family.
Do you have any recommendations for conference participants to make the most of their time in Krems, both during and outside the event?
On this question, we asked our research manager and member of the organizing team, Sabina Ertl, for recommendations – as a long-term resident of a small village just outside of Krems and long-term affiliate of the University, she is probably the person with the most intimate knowledge about Krems and its surroundings. This is what she says:
Krems is a fantastic place to experience, even beyond the conference setting. To help participants get oriented, we’re organizing a guided city walk on Tuesday evening, which will take them through the charming Old Town, past the historic Steiner Tor, and introduce them to some of Krems' key landmarks. It’s a great way to get a feel for the town’s rich history and atmosphere right at the beginning of their stay. Do not forget to get registered for this freebie. For those arriving early or staying an extra day, there’s plenty more to discover. I’d recommend taking a leisurely walk along the Danube promenade or visiting Göttweig Abbey, a stunning hilltop monastery with breathtaking views over the Wachau Valley. Art lovers should check out Kunsthalle Krems, which features contemporary exhibitions, and the Karikaturmuseum, Austria’s only museum dedicated to political and satirical cartoons.
For visitors interested in wine and culinary experiences, Krems is an excellent place to be. The region is famous for the vine: Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, and the best way to taste them is at a Heuriger—a traditional wine tavern. Many of them are located in Stein or Mautern just a short walk away from the campus. There you can enjoy great local wines paired with homemade Austrian specialties. If you’re looking for a full dinner experience, restaurants like Gasthaus Jell, Salzstadl or Wellenspiel offer fantastic regional cuisine.
And, of course, the Wachau apricots are a must-try! Whether it’s apricot liqueur, jams, or the classic Marillenknödel (apricot dumplings), you’ll find them in many cafés and shops around town.
And for nature enthusiasts: Krems and the Wachau region are perfect for outdoor experiences. A bike ride along the Danube is one of the best ways to soak in the landscape, and rental bikes are easy to find. If you prefer hiking, I’d suggest heading to Dürnstein by bus, and there you can take a scenic trail up to the castle ruins where Richard the Lionheart was once imprisoned. The view from the top is absolutely worth it!
For a more relaxed experience, just walking along the Danube promenade or enjoying a coffee in one of Krems’ many squares can be a great way to soak in the atmosphere.