germany, europe, and global migration movements
International Symposium
Kölnischer Kunstverein, Cologne
10. – 13. 11. 2005

Outline

With this bipartite series of symposia, TRANSIT MIGRATION is working towards transnational-izing vernacular views on migration. The transnational europe debate started in 2004 in Rethymno/Greece, where we focussed on the formation of a new Europe of con-tested borders. On the geopolitical map of western hegemony, Europe is becoming big-ger: by enlarging and empowering its border regime in the South and the East. On the map of migration tactics and imagination, however, Europe is down-sized and de-cen-tred by becoming a province of global movements expressing and demanding freedom.

transnational europe II returns this perspective to Germany. Here, much emphasis is given to the image of being a „national fortress" at the core of „fortress Europe". Seen from the apparent „periphery" of migration movements, however, the assumed centrality of the nation state becomes a fragile construction. The state’s will to power is confronted with new forms of European governance transforming national into European border zones. At the same time, migration itself effectively challenges all European and national attempts to govern it.

transnational europe II invites researchers, activists, and artists to further explore and discuss the current and the future dynamics emerging from the interplay of European borders and global migration movements. What does – and could – a transnational society look like from such perspective?

transnational europe II reflects and elaborates on the topics presented in the exhibition "Projekt Migration", showing at the Kölnischer Kunstverein and two other locations in Cologne from 30 September 2005 until 15 January 2006.

Concept:
Manuela Bojadzijev, Regina Römhild

Organisation:
Manuela Bojadzijev, Meike Fechner, Regina Römhild (TRANSIT MIGRATION)
In co-operation with Claudia Jericho, Daniela Müller, Marion Ritter (Kölnischer Kunstverein, Köln)

Contact:
<symposium(at)transitmigration.org>

Transnational europe II is initiated by TRANSIT MIGRATION, a transdisciplinary project researching the dynamics of migration along the borders of the European Union. It uses approaches from ethnography and social sciences, arts and cultural production, politics and media activists and generates its own productions. The results are presented as part of the „Projekt Migration" exhibition shown in the Kölnischer Kunstverein and two other locations in Cologne from 30 September 2005 until 15 January 2006.

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transnational europe II is funded by the Federal Cultural Foundation of Germany (Kulturstiftung des Bundes) and kindly supported by Le Monde Diplomatique.