Call for papers for the panel proposal Methodological creativity in transnational settings: Approaches to study the production of skilled migration
On-site at the IMISCOE Annual Conference "Decentering Migration Studies" in Paris–Aubervilliers, 1-4 July 2025
Organizers: Christine Lang, Helen Schwenken, Johanna Ullmann (IMIS, Osnabrück University; Horizon Europe Project Link4Skills & Collaborative Research Centre ‘Production of Migration’)
Research on skilled labor migration has become increasingly interested in the construction of skills and the various actors, practices and institutions involved in the process of defining, shaping, (d)evaluating, (mis)matching and (mis)recognizing “skills” (e.g. Liu-Farrer, Yeoh, Baas 2021). Taking such a perspective implies looking at structures and practices, which are situated both in and between places of “origin” and “destination” as well as connected transnationally and -locally. They include for instance policies and legal regulations, practices and discourses by state authorities (e.g. around recognition and “fair” skill utilization), by employers, diverse intermediaries (such as employment agencies, trade unions, language schools, training providers, migrant organizations, professional chambers, etc.) as well as everyday interactions at workplaces. This panel focuses on the transnational/ translocal dimension of these processes and practices producing “skills” and “skilled migration”. We aim to discuss methodological approaches that allow grasping this dimension as well as the practical challenges in developing and putting into practice transnational / translocal research designs.
In doing so, we seek to foster a “decentering” of the research on skilled migration in two respects: First, geographically, by addressing different geographical settings (including digital ones) in which “skilled migration” is negotiated and their transnational / translocal linkages as well as by considering new spatial dynamics. We deliberately aim to include evolving linkages or “corridors” of regions of the Global North, the Global South and between both regions as well as the role of local places and translocal connections. Second, we aim to “decenter” the research epistemologically, by shifting the focus from “skilled migrants” to the practices and processes producing “skills” and skill/ing-related mobility options. We seek to include different epistemological positions both by focusing on various actors involved in the transnational production of “skilled migration” and by considering different conceptual and empirical approaches, thematic areas and contexts including non-Western perspectives.
We invite contributions addressing for instance the following questions:
- What are novel and creative epistemological, methodological and research design approaches to the transnational / -local production of “skilled migration”?
- Which geographical contexts or sectors / occupations require more attention?
- How do we study processes that have in many cases (at least partially) moved to online spaces? And how do we deal with potentially different or difficult access to information, data and interviews?
- How can we consider gender differences and intersectional inequalities methodologically and work against often unmarked biases in research and amongst gatekeepers?
- How can we study the transnational / translocal relationships between the diverse actors and practices involved in the production of “skilled migration”? How can we investigate forms of convergence and divergence in practices and understandings, mutual interplay, but also ruptures, power dynamics and missing connections?
- How can we methodologically approach this phenomenon through the participation of migrants and other actors in the field in the research process?
- What role does researching skill retention and integration play in transnational / translocal research that emphasizes mobility? Can we “transnationalize” or “translocalize” integration research? Or: How can we study skilled labour migration without researching migrants and migrations (following the idea of “de-migranticising” migration studies)?
- How can migration skill corridors with various characteristics (such as low or high migration flows, established and emerging) be compared? How can multi-case comparisons look like?
- Which conceptual and empirical challenges do we face when seeking to implement a transnational / translocal approach? And what are possible ways to deal with them?
Please send your abstracts (including title) of max. 250 words with your name, affiliation and contact details to
Important note to the mode of the panel/workshop: On-Site only (hybrid options are not possible). All presenters must register for the conference and pay for their fees and travel arrangements. For further information on the conference see: https://www.imiscoe.org/events/imiscoe-events/2117-22nd-imiscoe-annual-conference