On June 30 and July 1, 2025, we hosted the VCML Inaugural Conference at the University of Vienna under the theme “Migration in Times of Polarization”. The event brought together scholars, legal practitioners, and civil society actors to discuss current challenges and developments in migration law and governance.
The conference opened with a meeting of the VCML PhD-Network, followed by a Work-in-Progress Workshop with four sessions, where 17 researchers across all academic stages presented and discussed their ongoing projects. In the evening, the opening keynote by Violeta Moreno-Lax set the tone for the conference, reflecting on how “Crisification” deforms legal structures in an increasingly polarized world.
The second day featured three panels focused on our centre’s thematic streams: Global Mobility, International Protection, and Modes of Belonging. The closing keynote by Ayelet Shachar explored the evolving tension between mechanisms of border closure and practices of selective openness.
We are grateful to all participants for their contributions and engagement. The conference was an another encouraging starting point for our academic work and we look forward to continuing the conversations it began.
