Across Oceans and Borders: conference on European migration

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Europe, the Old World, experienced several waves of emigration. Many of these waves were directed towards the United States, where emigrants sought better living conditions. Their motivations for leaving their homeland varied: some were driven by social and economic circumstances, others by political reasons. Many Central Europeans and other nationalities sought a new existence across the ocean or within Europe itself. Like other immigrants, Czechs abroad formed communities that sought to maintain their connection to their homeland.

The conference aims to provide a comprehensive view of the migration of Europeans from their continent, with an emphasis on Czech emigration to the United States. Another goal is to explore this topic through the lenses of cultural aspects, social issues, and the perspectives of personalities from expatriate communities. Attention will also be given to migration waves and individual migration within Europe and beyond.

Focus Areas:

• Migration from Europe and across Europe
  • Migration waves from Europe to the USA
  • Migration within Europe and to other parts of the world
  • Migration and mobility in multiethnic states
• Life in expatriate communities
  • Prominent figures in expatriate life
  • Efforts to preserve ethnic identity
  • Associational life
  • Connections to the homeland
  • Perspectives on expatriates from their home country
  • Art and artistic creation
  • Adaptation, identity, and livelihood in new homelands
  • Religious and spiritual life
• Expatriates in arms
  • Czechs, Slovaks, and Germans serving their new homeland
  • Expatriate communities and the world wars
  • The American Civil War
  • War-related emigrations of Czechs and Slovaks
  • Military service in new homelands
  • Post-war remigration
• Reflections on emigrant communities
  • Institutionalizing contacts
  • Reflections on migration in public spaces
  • Political roles of communities
  • Expatriate communities and figures in historical memory today

Submission Guidelines:
Please submit proposals for contributions, including an abstract of up to 200 words, by February 20, 2025, to: migration.conference@nm.cz

Organizing Committee:
Michal Cáp, Ondřej Crhák, Markéta Křížová, Lukáš Perutka, Jiří Rajlich, Michaela Tydlitátová

The conference is organized by the National Museum in cooperation with the Military Historical Institute.