Short Abstract:

We invite papers exploring intersections of magic and migration to understand how migrants "unwrite" narratives of loss and dislocation by creating empowering spaces in new environments. Contributions exploring how connective magical practices facilitate adaptation to new environments are welcome.

Long Abstract:

This panel invites papers that explore the intersection of magic and migration, focusing on how migrants use connective practices of home-making as forms of magic. Here, "magic" refers to everyday rituals, imagery, and sensory practices that transform spaces into places and objects into meaningful things, shedding light on the experience of belonging amidst displacement. Our aim is to understand how migrants "unwrite" narratives of loss and dislocation by crafting familiar and empowering environments in their new settings.

By encouraging a multidisciplinary discussion of material from various countries, we aim to explore how migrants use spaces, everyday objects, plants, religious artifacts, and rituals to "unwrite" the foreignness of their surroundings, transforming them into places of continuity and comfort. These acts of "unwriting" involve reclaiming spaces, imbuing them with personal and cultural significance, and fostering integration that is grounded in sensory and emotional experiences rather than simply economic or linguistic assimilation.

We invite contributions that examine how these "magical" practices express cultural continuity, shape identity, and support adaptation to new environments. Potential topics include the role of objects and plants in bridging old and new worlds, the use of cultural symbols, and the power of daily rituals in rewriting narratives of isolation. Methodologically, we encourage ethnographic and visual approaches that emphasize the sensory aspects of home-making.

This Panel has so far received 7 paper proposal(s).
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