The Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

and

the team of the research project ‘Still in Bulgaria. Cultural and Social Effects of Labour Mobility and Migration on Bulgarian Society (1990-2019) (LEFT-BEHIND)”, funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund (BNSF) (№ КП-06-Н40/9 – 10.12.2019)’ (2019–2024)

have the pleasure to invite you to

5th International Conference ‘Between the Worlds of Old and New Homes’

May 29 – 31, 2023
Sofia, Bulgaria
(Conference language – English)

Detailed Programme: HERE

Book of Abstracts: HERE

According to the 2022 World Migration Report, 3.6% of the global population consists of migrants, while the rest still live in their countries of origin. Despite that percentage, in the last, almost a decade, and in particular in the past three years – during the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, the topics related to migrants, refugees, migrations, and mobilities are linked to high disinformation and are part of the politics of fear and division employed by some political leaders. The negative social impact brought up by that politicized discourse affects societal values and supports nationalist narratives and stereotypisation related to the newcomers in almost every country, adding up to the ongoing economic, political, and myriad other difficulties experienced globally. On the other hand, the estimated number of international migrants has increased over the past five decades, and the shift from migration to mobility is now even more visible than prior to COVID-19. The lengthy restriction period on freedom of movement within cities, countries, and internationally called for an academic and research-shaped response to further conceptualisation and discussion on these topics. Climate change gradually becomes one of the main reasons for disaster displacement resulting in new devastating movements of vulnerable people. And finally, migrants rarely move with their whole families, often choosing to leave them behind. The impact of movements on sending communities and the left behind, the separated and transnational families, has been an essential and growingly topical issue in the post-global world. Living in uncertain times with emerging global crises, we continue our search for better livelihoods and stable homes, more advanced studies and education, or, in other words, reinvention, rebuilding, or advancement of ourselves, our families, and our lives.

The Conference is funded by National Science Fund – Ministry of Education and Science (№ КН-06-Н40/9 – 10.12.2019 г).

For more information about the conference sequence: https://conferenceworlds.wordpress.com/

For more information about the conference: https://www.facebook.com/leftinbg