On the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of 1922, 2022 will be dedicated to the ‘refugee phenomenon’. The gradual inclusion of refugees from Asia Minor, Pontus and other areas of population exchange was an important part of the economic development and modernisation of the society in Greece. Research has been conducted since the 1920s documenting the economic contribution of refugees to the development of the host country (Aigidis 1928). The keywords ‘development’, ‘refugees’ are conceptually and theoretically charged terms because of the multiple and conflicting views and interpretations often identified with the developmental policies which are sometimes applied to expatriate populations in specific areas like Africa and Middle East.
The conference will focus on the experience of 1922 precisely through the possibilities and perspectives that opened in the Greek society and economy for a dynamic transformation. What were the international and national policies and practices that supported this transformation? What were the reactions of the society and the refugees themselves? When, by whom and for how long are they considered ‘refugees’? What are the short-term, medium-term and long-term assessments of the ‘refugee factor’? At the same time, the experience of 1922 will be used comparatively to open a discussion with relevant experiences from the wider south-eastern Europe and the Mediterranean basin as well as the current policies and practices implemented or proposed and treat refugees positively as a potential research for development for the host country. What does the concept of ‘positive example’ (success) mean in the case of a ‘refugee crisis’ (economic, social and cultural integration)? How does it help us to understand and socially integrate new categories of refugees into modern reality.
The conference will take place at University of Macedonia -Thessaloniki in a hybrid way.
Proposed themes
-refugees and economic development
-inclusion policies
-inclusion and housing, urban and residential changes
-work and gender
-refugee capital and home countries
-inner migration and urbanisation
-refugees and cultural capital (case studies)
-comparative example, case studies
-international organisations, development aid and refugees
-education-language-host country
-museum, literary and artistic prints
Organisation: Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, Laboratory of Culture, Borders and Gender, Department of Economics, Laboratory of Economic and Social Research, Department of Music Science and Arts, MA in “History, Anthropology and Culture in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, MA in ” Human Rights and Migration Studies “
Scientific Committee: Eleni Gavra (Professor UoM), Eftihia Voutira (Professor Emerita UoM), Fotini Tsimbiridou (Professor UoM), Konstantinos Tsitselikis (Professor UoM), Eleftherios Tsοulfidis Professor UoM), Theodore Panagiotidis (Professor, UoΜ),Theodosios Karvounarakis (Professor UoM), Eleni Sideri (Assist. Professor UoM), Eleni Kallimopoulou (Assist. Professor UoM), Eleftherios Tsikouridis (Assist. Professor UoM), Alexandra Ioannidou (Professor UoM, Ioannis Manos (Ass. Professor UoM), Nikolaos Zaikos (Ass. Professor UoM), Stavroula Mavrogeni (Ass. Professor UoM), Nikolaos Liazos (Assist. Professor UoM)
Organising Committee: Eleni Gavra (Professor UoM), Eleni Sideri (Assist. Professor UoM), Anna Moumtzoglou (Special Tech. Staff, UoM), Styliani Letsiou (Adjunct Faculty, MA in Human Rights and Migration Studies, Postdoctoral Fellow UoM), Dorotheos Orfanidis (Postdoctoral Fellow UoM), Stefanos Katsoulis (PhD Candidate UoM)
Interested parties should send until 31/3/2022, a title, a summary (300 words), 5 keywords and 1-2 reference titles, as well as a short bio (5 lines) to refugeesanddevelopment2022@gmail.com.
Registration for the conference will be 50 euros.
For PhD. candidates will be 25 euros.
Attendance of the conference for the undergraduate and postgraduate students will be free of charge.