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International Migration & Intercultural Communication
Edinburgh Student Congress 2026
11-12 May 2026
University of Edinburgh
Welcome to Edinburgh
Welcome to Edinburgh, a city that beautifully blends the charm of its historic past with the energy of its modern, global outlook. Edinburgh has long been a hub for intellectual exchange, and we are delighted to have you here in this inspiring environment. The University of Edinburgh, with its rich academic tradition, provides the perfect backdrop for our gathering, where scholars from around the world come together to discuss the important issues shaping migration and intercultural communication in today’s interconnected world.
This congress is more than just a place to present research – it’s a chance to listen, learn, and connect with diverse perspectives. We hope you find inspiration in the conversations and ideas shared, and that you leave with a sense of collaboration toward addressing some of the global challenges we face. As you take part in the sessions, we also hope you enjoy the beauty of Edinburgh’s historic streets, scenic views, and vibrant culture, which make this city such a special place to gather.
As you embark on this academic journey, we encourage you to take full advantage of the discussions, networking opportunities, and the vibrant atmosphere both within the conference and beyond. Edinburgh offers a wealth of experiences waiting to be discovered – from its iconic landmarks like the Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile to the tranquil beauty of its parks and gardens.
We are thrilled to have you join us, and we look forward to the conversations, ideas, and partnerships that will emerge from this event. Enjoy your time in Edinburgh, and make the most of this incredible opportunity to learn, connect, and grow.
We wish you a stimulating, enriching, and rewarding experience at the International Migration & Intercultural Communication Student Congress!
With best wishes,
Conger (Scarlett) Wang 王骢儿, Congress Organizer
Hanzhi Dai 戴涵之, Co-convenor
Professor Charles West, Supervising Academic
Day 1-Monday 11 May 2026Conference Venue: Meadows lecture theatre (G.07 Doorway 4, Old medical school, teviot place, edinburgh eh1 2qz)
Reception (coffee & lunch) venue: Jim McMillan Room (room 1.31, Doorway 4, Old medical school, teviot place, edinburgh eh1 2qz)
8:00-8:45
Registration Open
8:45-9:00
Welcome
9:00-9:45
Dr. Alasdair RAFFE
(Keynote Speaker)
“The Origins of Pluralism in Early Modern Scotland"
9:45-10:00
Q&A
10:00-10:15
Coffee Break
Panel 1: Politics and strategies of diasporic communities
Chair: JAKE DARKE CHRISTOPHER
10:15-10:30
Kazuya ISHIGAMI (University of Tokyo)
“Diasporic Communities and the Roots of Human Rights Activism: Amnesty International Japan in Postcolonial Context”
10:30-10:45
Yixiang ZHANG (Sun Yat-sen University)
“Mythopoesis as an Affective Strategy: Managing Disorientation in Stella Benson’s Travel Writing”
10:45-11:00
Anna Kristina KERIG WAND (Ruhr University Bochum)
“Influences of the Irish Literary Revival on Taiwanese Literature and Politics during and after the Japanese Occupation”
11:00-11:15
Zicheng ZHANG (University of Edinburgh)
“Chain Migration, Transnational Communication, and Cultural Persistence: The Qingtianese Diaspora as a Microregional Migration System”
11:15-11:30
Collective Q&A
11:30-11:45
Coffee Break
Panel 2: Migration and labour
CHAIR: JOSHUA MACRAE
11:45-12:00
Qianli LI (University of Manchester)
“Negotiating Identity under Unequal Conditions: Communication, Governance, and Everyday Practices in Migrant Contexts”
12:00-12:15
Muhammad Hj ZULAIDI (University of Edinburgh)
“Tracing the Societal Role of the Chinese in Brunei: Patterns and Perspectives from British Sources from the 17th Century to the Mid-20th Century”
12:15-12:30
Yaobiao WANG (SOAS)
“Selling ‘Zyu zai’: Gender, Female Indentured Labourers and the ‘Coolie Trade’ in the 19th century”
12:30-12:45
Yang GUO (University of Edinburgh)
“How Did Chinese Indentured Laborers Exercise Agency Within a Structurally Coercive Contract System?”
12:45-13:00
Collective Q&A
13:00-14:00
LUNCH BREAK
Panel 3: Technology, commerce and science
CHAIR: WENJING WANG
14:00-14:15
Yang GUO (Harbin Engineering University, presenter); Feiyan LI (University of Edinburgh)
“The Dual Impact of International Immigration and Cross-cultural Communication among Multinational Executives on ESG Ratings of Listed Companies” (CANCELLED)
14:15-14:30
Yuewei ZHU (University of Science and Technology of China)
“Chinese Papermaking: Origin, Spread, Integration, and Innovation”
14:30-14:45
Hongxuan JI (Jingdezhen Ceramic University); Shangao CHEN (Sapienza University of Rome);
“Space and Culture: A Study on the Historical Evolution of Cemeteries and Tombstone Architecture in Modern Macao”
14:45-15:00
Emmanuel ECHEVERRIA RODRIGUEZ (Lancaster University)
“The ROI of Trust: A New Model for Mitigating the ‘Cultural Tax’ in Multinational IT Projects”
15:00-15:15
Collective Q&A
15:15-15:30
Coffee Break
Panel 4: Race and migration
CHAIR: HUIRONG CHENG
15:30-15:45
Rowan SOEIRO (University of Edinburgh)
“Racialized Borders under Donald Trump”
15:45-16:00
Yuni ZENG (Central European University & Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)
“Two Ways of Seeing “Chin. Ind. Spec. Rest.”: Photography, Memory, and Identity in Dutch Chinees-Indisch Restaurants”
16:00-16:15
Hanzhang DING (SOAS)
“Between the Village and the City: Caste Identity, Aspiration, and Community Formation among Young Jats in Western Uttar Pradesh”
16:15-16:30
Collective Q&A
End of day 1
DAY 2-TUESDAY 12 MAY 2026:
CONFERENCE VENUE: TEVIOT LECTURE THEATRE (DOORWAY 5, OLD MEDICAL SCHOOL, TEVIOT PLACE, EDINBURGH, EH1 2QZ)
RECEPTION VENUE: RECEPTION HALL (DOORWAY 3, OLD MEDICAL SCHOOL, TEVIOT PLACE, EDINBURGH, EH1 2QZ)
9:00-9:45
Professor Charles WEST
(Keynote Speaker)
“ ‘Destined to Learn Barbarous Customs and Strange Languages’ - The Migration of Queens in Early Medieval Europe”
9:45-10:00
Q&A
10:00-10:15
Coffee Break
Panel 5: The image of “Others” in early medieval europe
CHAIR: CONGER (SCARLETT) WANG
10:15-10:30
Chenlin ZHANG (Peking University, visiting at University of Edinburgh)
“From Stranger to Sovereign: Migration and Identity in Three Versions of the Gesta Theoderici”
10:30-10:45
Chloe BUTT (The University of Kent & King’s College, London)
“Saintly Narratives in the Byzantine World and Beyond: The Transmission and Reception of Hagiography in Medieval Europe”
10:45-11:00
Aidan STUBBS (University of Edinburgh)
“Constructing the North: Rhetoric and Intercultural Misrepresentation in Tacitus’ Germania”
11:00-11:15
Moritz RAUM (Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg & University of Glasgow)
“The Other Christians or the Christian 'Other' – Intercultural Communication between 'Ethiopians' and the Byzantine Empire”
11:15-11:30
Collective Q&A
11:30-11:45
Coffee Break
Panel 6: literature and media studies
CHAIR: AIFIE GOODWIN
11:45-12:00
Jie SUN (University of Liverpool & Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University)
“Beyond Nostalgia: Spatial Construction and Embodied Perception of the Diasporic Community in Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love”
12:00-12:15
Yuwei LIU (Beijing University of Technology, visiting at University College Dublin)
“Translating the Trauma: The Variation of Mary’s Image in Beijing People's Art Theatre’s 2024-2025 Production of Eugene O'Neill’s Long Day's Journey into Night”
12:15-12:30
Yuang Marcus LIU (King’s College London)
“Liang Qichao in America: A Close Encounter with Race and Social Darwinism”
12:30-12:45
Zixuan GU (Peking University)
“The Difficult Foxtrot: A Study on the Writing Mechanism of Maurice Baring’s Literary History of Russia”
12:45-13:00
Collective Q&A
13:00-14:00
LUNCH BREAK
Panel 7: laws, household and politics
CHAIR: PROFESSOR TREVOR GRIFFITHS
14:00-14:15
Emil MARZEC (Jagiellonian University)
“Challenging Polish Hospitality: French Émigrés in Łańcut and Princess Izabela Lubomirska”
14:15-14:30
Nancy BRITTEN (University of Edinburgh)
“Between Law and The Household: Constructing Women’s legal personhood in Medieval Cairo (950–1250 CE)”
14:30-14:45
Jadwiga GIZA (Jagiellonian University)
“Plymouth and Cleveland: Founding Documents of Migrant Communities and the Memory of Origins”
14:45-15:00
Collective Q&A
15:00-15:15
Coffee Break
Panel 8: The darkest side
CHAIR: PROFESSOR DONALD BLOXHAM
15:15-15:30
Niamh O’MALLEY (University of Edinburgh)
“Individual Motivations of Genocide and Their Implications on Intercultural Communication”
15:30-15:45
Sean LAI (University of Edinburgh)
“Echoes of Exile: The Armenian Genocide and the Tragic Realities of Forced Migration”
15:45-16:00
Saki YABUUCHI (University of Sussex)
“Belonging after Return: How Egyptian Student Returnees from the UK Manage Foreignness after Return”
16:00-16:15
Collective Q&A
16:15-16:30
Concluding Remarks
17:30 onwards
Optional Dinner (NOT INCLUDED IN THE CATERING)
End of day 2
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