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[CFP] International Conference – Global Perspectives on Migration in a Changing World in Graphic Narratives from 2010 (3-4 September 2026)

Organized within the framework of COST Action COS-MICs CA24160
(WG2 «Science Fiction and Non-fiction narratives» & WG3 «Comics and Science in Social Contexts»)

Organizers:
Genç Osman Ilhan (WG2: gosman@yildiz.edu.tr)
Diana Castilleja (WG3: Diana.Castilleja@vub.be)
Manana Ratiani (WG3: manana.ratiani@iliauni.edu.ge)
Miguel Ángel Pérez Gómez (WG2: mperez21@us.es)
Fernando Pancorbo (WG2: fernandopancorbo1@gmail.com)

Dates: September 3rd-4th 2026.
Place: Yildiz Technical University (Istanbul, Turkey).
Modality: Face to face
Languages: English

Since the late 20th century, there has been a significant increase in the use of comics and graphic novels to explore the theme of migration, and some of these works have even come to be regarded as classics, such as Henry Yoshitaka Kiyama’s Manga Yonin Shosei (1931), Art Spiegelman’s Maus (1986), Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis (2000), Shaun Tan’s The Arrival (2006), Matt Hyunh’s The Boat (2015), Javier de Isusi’s Asӯlum (2017) or the more recent Tessa Hulls’ Feeding Ghosts (2024).
Building on this tradition, we aim to explore the theme of migration in graphic novels published in the last 15 years (since 2010), examining it from various perspectives, such as a global approach to sustainability, or from an interdisciplinary standpoint that takes into account economic, social, cultural, religious, and gender factors, among others. We are interested in contributions that examine graphic narratives through, but not limited to, the following thematic categories:

  • Economic and Labor Migration: Examining displacement and movement driven by employment opportunities, precarity, or economic restructuring, including relocations caused by government or corporate infrastructure projects and the resulting compensations.
  • Environmental and Climate-Induced Migration (Eco-migration): Analyzing narratives centred on eco-migrants and displacement due to natural disasters, extreme weather events, climate change, and broader sustainability challenges.
  • Socio-Cultural and Identity-Based Migration: Exploring how migration intersects with cultural, ethnic, and religious identities, as well as how social dynamics and gender roles shape the migrant experience.
  • Health, Geography, and Precarity: Investigating the geographical realities of migration pathways, border crossings, and the impact of systemic precarity on the physical and mental health of migrating populations.
  • Migration and Education: Exploring lesson designs, materials and in-class implementation as well as effectiveness of migration-themed comics and comics designed by students or teachers.

Submission Guidelines

  • Materials Required: Please submit an abstract (350-400 words, including methodology) alongside a bio-bibliographical note (up to 200 words).
  • Submission Emails: Send proposals to both wg2cosmics@gmail.com and wg3cosmics@gmail.com.
  • Subject Line: Please use the subject line format: CFP Proposal: [Author Last Name].
  • Deadline for Proposals: June 15th, 2026.
  • Duration of Communications: 25 minutes per presentation.
Virginie Giuliana
Virginie Giuliana

The text only may be used under licence Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 4.0 International. All other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.


OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Virginie Giuliana (May 7, 2026). [CFP] International Conference – Global Perspectives on Migration in a Changing World in Graphic Narratives from 2010 (3-4 September 2026). COS-MICs. Retrieved June 14, 2026 from https://cosmics.hypotheses.org/2197


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