HomeHow do former industrial towns and border towns welcome refugees?

How do former industrial towns and border towns welcome refugees?

Anciennes villes ouvrières et villes frontières. Quel accueil pour les exilés ?

*  *  *

Published on Thursday, August 07, 2025

Abstract

Français English

In this call for papers, we would like to focus specifically on the particular case of cities that have historically developed through multiple waves of migration. We are thinking not only of the former working-class towns in north-eastern Paris, but also of border towns that have found themselves on the front line of migration reception during previous flare-ups of conflict in neighbouring countries.

Announcement

Français English

Argument

Over the past decade, there has been a considerable proliferation of research on what has been referred to as the “local turn” in migration and resettlement governance (see in particular Dekker et al., 2015; Fourot, 2015; Caponio et al., 2017; Zapata-Barrero et al., 2017; Flamant, 2020). Numerous representative cases of cities have been studied at the French national level (Nantes, Grenoble, Strasbourg, Lyon, Villeurbanne, etc.), the European level (Bristol, Birmingham, Barcelona, Rotterdam, Palermo, Naples, Antwerp, etc.), and the international level (Tel Aviv, Toronto, Vancouver, New York, San Francisco, etc.). Many of these cities, often situated on the left of the political spectrum, are attempting to develop pragmatic responses to migration-related challenges, where national policies are failing. The growing role assigned to local authorities is not simply the result of a top-down policy approach adopted by higher echelons of power, for example, the European Union, nor is it solely the result of municipal political will. The commitment of municipalities to specific migration policies emerges at the crossroads of unique social, political, and legal processes (Leneveler, 2021). Indeed, the exact local contexts that enable the development of a skill set in the area of migration reception and integration are not limited to individual mayors choosing to make reception a central part of their mandate (Flamant, 2021), but also extend to groups of residents and associations creating a particular dynamic that challenges the public authorities and pushes them to act, with varying degrees of success (Hombert, 2021). The specific social and political history of various localities undoubtedly also plays an essential role in the emergence or continuation of solidarity practices.

Various studies have thus been devoted to the reception of migrants, not only in “sanctuary cities” (Babels, 2018) and “welcoming cities” (Flamant, Fourot et al., 2024), but also in rural areas (Chavanon, 2022) and large urban centres such as Paris (Gardesse et al., 2022), analysing the interactions and links that develop (or fail to develop) between native rural dwellers and established migrants, on the one hand, and more recent arrivals on the other, namely families or sometimes single men from East and West Africa, Syria or Afghanistan (Agier, Gerbier-Aublanc et al., 2019).

In this call for papers, we would like to focus specifically on the particular case of cities that have historically developed through multiple waves of migration. We are thinking not only of the former working-class towns in north-eastern Paris, but also of border towns that have found themselves on the front line of migration reception during previous flare-ups of conflict in neighbouring countries. To what extent does the history of these territories, intrinsically linked as it is to the issue of migration, have an impact on how the establishment of refugee camps within them is perceived and experienced? Does the town’s migratory past lead locals to identify with these newcomers, feel empathy for them, or even help them? Or, on the contrary, does it lead to feelings of resentment towards this unfortunate reminder of one's individual, familial, or collective past and a rejection of their presence to draw a line under a traumatic memory, move on, and look to the future? Do residents draw parallels between the migrations of the past and these newcomers, who are often forced to live on the streets due to a lack of reception facilities? Furthermore, do the mutual aid practices that exist in some working-class neighbourhoods encourage solidarity towards the newcomers, or are they excluded because of their foreignness? Are these new arrivals perceived by established migrants as destitute people who need help, or as paupers who jeopardise the comfort they have only recently acquired, threatening their chances of obtaining housing or competing with them for social assistance?

We would like to explore the role of migratory pasts in the current practices and representations of migrant camps across the following dimensions:

  • The specific history of the territories. Here, we need to consider not only the impact of history on the practices and representations of migrant camps, but also how this history is or is not recounted to shape a communal or regional narrative that is then promoted by the mayor and local authorities, or certain sections of civil society. What effects does this communal narrative have, if any? Does it clash with counter-narratives? And does it exert influence on practical considerations, such as the structures put in place by the municipality, the participation of local residents, the (self-)curtailment of opposition, etc.? What role does the migratory past of cities play in modern migration governance through the maintenance of certain reception or solidarity structures or the transfer of know-how? 
  • Individual or family histories. The second question concerns the family and individual levels, with a particular focus on the people living in the vicinity of the camps, who are not necessarily involved in any solidarity work (Coutant, 2018; Fassin et al., 2014). How do former migrants perceive these new arrivals living in camps? Does their experience resonate with their own, and what effects does this parallel (or lack thereof) produce? Are the stakes the same for the children of migrants or mixed couples as for the grandchildren of migrants or, more broadly, for all those whose families have experienced significant displacement or suffered the consequences of war and conflict? What specific effects does the camp have on these established migrants? What emotions (empathy, anger, resentment, etc.) accompany these representations? How are proximity and distance constructed, and does the former necessarily create bonds? Possible causes of indifference constitute another avenue for further reflection. It will also be beneficial to explore, at an individual level, the impact of travel or experiences of encountering the Other. Finally, methodological proposals on how to investigate neighbourhoods are also welcome. 
  • Gender. Existing research shows that empathy and the help provided to migrants vary not only according to the gender of the migrants, but also that of the helpers, the majority of whom are women (Babels, 2019; Masson-Diez, Sebillotte, et al., 2023). What gender relations develop between helpers and migrants depending on whether the latter are single women or men? Does reference to a family or collective past on the part of helpers play a different role depending on whether they are men or women? Are these possible differences linked to gendered transmission of memory, with women often considered the bearers of family memory and men the bearers of political commitments? How can we explain the lower level of involvement among men? More broadly, how do gender, race, and age relations interact in situations of solidarity (Masson-Diez, Sebillotte et al., 2023)? 

Submission guidelines

Proposals for contributions on this theme must be sent in the form of a summary of approximately 3,000 characters (Word document) accompanied by a short bibliography. Authors are invited to explain the scope of their study, the nature and extent of their materials, and to state their position about the areas of work detailed above. The conference will take place in December 2025.

Contributions must include the author's name, professional affiliation (if applicable) and email address and be sent to ribert@ehess.fr with object “Symposium”.

before 15 September 2025

Selection committee

  • Michèle Baussant, anthropologist, Director of Research at CNRS, ISP, ICM Fellow
  • Giulia Fabbiano, anthropologist, lecturer, Aix-Marseille University
  • Maria Kokkinou, anthropologist, postdoctoral researcher, ICM Fellow
  • Evelyne Ribert, sociologist, Research Fellow at CNRS, LAP, ICM Fellow
  • Nancy Venel, political scientist, lecturer, University of Lyon 2

Bibliography

Agier, M., Gerbier-Aublanc, M., et Masson-Diez, E., Hospitalité en France. Mobilisations intimes et politiques, Paris, Le passager clandestin, 2019.

Babels, Ce que les villes font aux migrants, Paris, Le passager clandestin, 2018.

Babels, Hospitalité en France : mobilisations intimes et politiques, Paris, Le passager clandestine, 2019.

Caponio T., Scholten P. et Zapata Barrero R., “Théorisation du « virage local » dans un cadre d’analyse fondé sur la gouvernance à niveaux multiples. Étude de cas axée sur les politiques concernant les immigrants », Revue Internationale des Sciences Administratives, 2017, 83 (2), pp. 245-250.

Chavanon, M., « Appel à toutes les bonnes volontés pour organiser l’accueil. » Relocalisation de la question migratoire et nouvelles mobilisations en milieu rural, 2022, Politix, 137(1), 183-207.

Coutant I., Les migrants en bas de chez soi, Paris, Seuil, 2018.

Dekker R., Emilsson H., Krieger B. and Scholten P., « A Local Dimension of Integration Policies? A Comparative Study of Berlin, Malmö, and Rotterdam », International Migration Review, 2015, 49 (3), pp. 633-658.

Fassin E. et al., 2014, Roms et riverains : une politique municipale de la race, Paris, La Fabrique, 2014.

Flamant A., « The Local Turn in Integration Policies: Why French Cities Differ », Ethnic and Racial Studies, 2020, pp. 1-20.

Flamant, A., « Nantes, « ville accueillante » pour les populations exilées. De l’urgence humanitaire à la mise à l’abri inconditionnelle », Migrations Société, 2021, 185(3), 49-63.

Flamant, A., Fourot A-C, Healy A., Villes, réseaux de villes et gouvernance des migrations, PUCA, 2024.

Fourot A-C, “Bringing Cities Back In” To Canadian Political Science: Municipal Public Policy and Immigration », Canadian Journal of Political Science, 2015, 48 (2), pp. 413-433.

Gardesse C. et al., L’Exil à Paris 2015-2020, Expérience migratoire, action publique et engagement citoyen, Paris, L’œil d’or critiques & cités, 2022.

Hombert L., “Le citoyen et la mairie : les collectifs d’habitants dans la construction de l’accueil des exile.e.s à Paris”, SociologieS [En ligne], Dossiers, 2021.

Leneveler, L., « La redéfinition d’une compétence juridique à travers l’accueil des personnes exilées au sein des communes : l’exemple de Villeurbanne. », Migrations Société, 2021,185(3), 31-48.

Masson-Diez E., Sebillotte O., Gerbier-Aublanc M., « Genre et race dans les relations d’hospitalité. Quand des femmes blanches accueillent des hommes noirs », Cahiers du Genre, 2023/2 (n° 75), pp. 257 à 281.

Zapata-Barrero R., Caponio T. et Scholten P., « Introduction au numéro spécial : "Théorisation du ‘virage local’ dans un cadre d’analyse fondé sur la gouvernance à niveaux multiples. Étude de cas axée sur les politiques concernant les immigrants », Revue internationale de science administrative, vol. 83, no 2, 2017, pp. 245-250.

Places

  • Campus Condorcet
    Aubervilliers, France (93)

Event attendance modalities

Hybrid event (on site and online)


Date(s)

  • Monday, September 15, 2025

Keywords

  • migration, exilé, accueil, ville ouvrière, ville frontière, passé migratoire, histoire des territoires, quartier populaire, genre, histoire familiale

Contact(s)

  • Évelyne Ribert
    courriel : evelyne [dot] ribert [at] ehess [dot] fr
  • Nancy Venel
    courriel : nancy [dot] venel [at] univ-lyon2 [dot] fr

Information source

  • Évelyne Ribert
    courriel : evelyne [dot] ribert [at] ehess [dot] fr

License

CC-BY-4.0 This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons - Attribution 4.0 International - CC BY 4.0 .

To cite this announcement

Michèle Baussant, Giulia Fabbiano, Maria Kokkinou, Evelyne Ribert, Nancy Venel, « How do former industrial towns and border towns welcome refugees? », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Thursday, August 07, 2025, https://doi.org/10.58079/14gqc

Archive this announcement

  • Google Agenda
  • iCal
Search OpenEdition Search

You will be redirected to OpenEdition Search