From Experiences to Storytelling of Postmigration. Reinventing the Narratives of the Self and the World in Pluralistic European Societies

Developed and promoted by the German-speaking academic community, frequently

mobilized by Anglophone and Scandinavian scholars, yet less used in Francophone and

Italophone research, the concept of postmigration marks a significant shift in migration

discourses. By dissolving the binary opposition between migrants and non-migrants, it allows

immigration to be regarded as an intrinsic component of European societies. The conference

“From Experiences to Storytelling of Postmigration” aligns with this ongoing epistemological

and analytical transformation. It aims to explore how postmigration thinking is reshaping the

narratives that can be written, spoken, or reconstructed from migration-related experiences. The

conference will examine the stances, strategies, frameworks, and narrative content which

emerge from the challenges, negotiations, conflicts, and alliances arising within European

societies facing the diversity implied by migration.

Recognizing the diverse interpretations of postmigration, the conference deliberately

embraces the term in its broadest sense. It invites exploration of the narratives of postmigrant

individuals—descendants of immigrants who have not directly experienced migration. It also

encourages the study of narratives about postmigrant societies, understood as societies

transformed by immigration. Finally, the conference offers a space for considering a

postmigrant perspective on storytelling as a practice reshaped by the dynamics of migration.

Resolutely pluralistic, the conference seeks to foster dialogues across the arts and

disciplines which, in various ways, aim to express or give voice to the traces and stories left by

migration within contemporary European societies. Designed with a comparative approach, it

also promotes the exchange of studies on postmigration narratives across different European

cultural and linguistic contexts (Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia, the

United Kingdom, and more).

Drawing on a range of disciplines, arts, and cultures, the papers will explore postmigrant

narratives of the self and the world. These narratives will be examined through various

dimensions of individual and collective experience likely to result in a form of storytelling. Key

themes such as identity, hybridity, trauma, and struggle will guide the exploration of the

narratives of the self. Concepts like connected history, memory, and postmemory could be

employed to narrate the postmigrant relationship with time. The postmigrant connection to

space will be approached through narratives of private and public spaces that bear the marks of

migration. Special attention will also be given to the religious dimension, understood as a factor

which shapes both the relationship to the self and to the world. Beyond these indicative themes,

many other dimensions of postmigrant experience may also be considered.

While a broad spectrum of narratives can be covered from various perspectives, proposals

should focus on one of the following themes.

1) Literary Narratives of Postmigration. This theme will examine the forms and content

that characterize postmigration narratives, ranging from traditional genres (novel, autofiction,

autobiography, etc.) to more recent forms (rap, slam, podcast, etc.). The objective is to explore

the thematic, semiotic, pragmatic, linguistic, and narrative strategies employed by each genre

to recount and interrogate the experiences of postmigrant individuals and societies. Literary

narratives can also be addressed as laboratories for the imagination, offering spaces to

experiment with new configurations of identity, memory, and space—elements still to beactively (re)constructed in today’s pluralistic societies. Finally, literary works can be studied as

tools of recognition, giving a voice to those often marginalized, and contributing to the creation

of a new imagined community.

2) Visual Narratives of Postmigration. This theme will focus on artistic, cultural, and

media productions which place the image at the heart of postmigration narratives (such as

cinema, documentary, photography, etc.). The aim is to explore how visual media provide

unique resources for representing and conveying the individual and collective experiences

reshaped by immigration. It will also be possible to analyze the techniques—such as

composition and editing—applied to make the image tell the stories of postmigrant individuals

and societies in Europe. Particular attention will be given to narratives that reveal the traces of

migration within urban spaces, as public places often silently bear witness to the history of

immigration to Europe.

3) Postmigrant Narratives in Social Science Fieldwork. This theme will focus on the

methods of inquiry employed in anthropology and sociology to enable immigrant populations

and their descendants to tell their own stories from a “demigrantized” perspective. It will

explore the forms of narrative that allow for the experience of interviewees to be understood as

an integral part of European societies. Special attention will be given to scholarly narratives

that, grounded in real-life trajectories, redefine European histories and identities by

incorporating cultural references, such as Islam, into a pluralistic framework where they are no

longer considered foreign.

4) Historical Narratives of Postmigration. This theme aims to analyze and demonstrate

how postmigration can generate a counter-discourse to dominant national histories. Drawing

on Duncan S.A. Bell’s concept of the “mythscape” (2003), it will examine the conditions under

which transnational and connected historiographies are written and received so as to offer an

account of the formation and evolution of postmigrant European societies, challenging

conventional narratives and highlighting the diverse histories that shape contemporary Europe.

5) Postmigrant Narratives and Education. This theme will explore how narrative can

address the pedagogical challenges of multiculturalism in classrooms within postmigrant

European societies. It will also examine innovative educational practices and strategies that

enable students to share personal stories deeply connected to immigration, and the diversity of

cultural and religious heritages.

6) Postmigrant Narratives and Commitment. This theme will examine how storytelling

functions as a form of engagement with the diversity of cultural and religious heritages. More

specifically, it will explore whether individuals, in asserting their unique perspectives through

narrative, draw upon specific aspects of personal or collective experience—such as personal

development, issues related to the body, or political stances. Additionally, the theme will

investigate how stories reflect the commitment of their authors, as well as the values underlying

this commitment, which are often embedded in the narrative itself.

7) Postmigrant Narratives and Reception. This theme will explore how postmigration

narratives actively shape their own reception. In particular, it will examine how these narratives

engage with the audience’s expectations, often playing with stereotypes and genre conventions.

The focus will also extend to how the narrative, as a communicative act, is crafted to convey a

message that takes into account the pluralistic context in which it is shared. Lastly, the theme

will consider the image of the audience constructed by the narrative, and, in relation to the

previous theme, explore the type of commitment the narrative seeks to inspire in its implicit

audience.

The conference will be held at Université catholique de Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve,

Belgium), from September 17 to 19, 2025.Papers may be presented in English, French, German or Italian. Proposals, including a

title, an abstract (approximately 300 words) and a brief bio-bibliographical note, should be sent

to Amaury Dehoux (amaury.dehoux@uclouvain.be), Hubert Roland

(hubert.roland@uclouvain.be) and Letizia Sassi (letizia.sassi@uclouvain.be) before April 30,

2025.

We also welcome panel proposals. The organizer is asked to send the title and program

of the panel, including an abstract for each paper (approximately 300 words), and a brief biobibliographical note for each speaker. Proposals should also be sent to Amaury Dehoux

(amaury.dehoux@uclouvain.be), Hubert Roland (hubert.roland@uclouvain.be) and Letizia

Sassi (letizia.sassi@uclouvain.be) before April 30, 2025.

All submitters will be notified of the outcome of their proposal by May 15, 2025 at the

latest