#DMMIIC2025 Conference Officially Opens with Keynotes, Panels, and Sections
On 17 September, the #DMMIIC2025 Conference at Tallinn University began its full academic program with a packed day of sessions, panels, sections and social activities.
The morning opened with welcoming addresses from Professor Indrek Ibrus (Tallinn University, ECREA Executive Board), Professor Katrin Niglas (Vice Rector for Research, Tallinn University), and Professor Riho Västrik (Acting Director of the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School). Conference Chair Dr. Anastassia Zabrodskaja, Professor of Intercultural Communication, also greeted participants and set the tone for the ECREA Diaspora, Migration and the Media - International and Intercultural Communication Sections Conference theme: “Beyond Borders: Creative Methods and Reflexive Approaches to Migration, Media, and Intercultural Dialogue.”
The first parallel sessions explored diverse dimensions of migration and media. In Participatory and Methodological Innovations, scholars shared approaches such as intergenerational participatory design, mobile digital diaries, and post-migrant media practices. Simultaneously, Media Representation and Migration Discourses examined European migration discourse, responsiveness in EU politics, and media in times of conflict, while a dedicated workshop on Rethinking Reflexivity and Positionality engaged participants in methodological and ethical reflections.
After a lively coffee break, sessions continued with Participatory and Artistic Approaches—including participatory digital storytelling, theatre, and filmmaking with displaced communities—and Youth, Identity, and Social Media, where research highlighted Turkish diasporic youth in London and young descendants of migrants in Germany. At the same time, Panel 1, Deconstructing Neglected Discourses on Migration, brought together multi-stakeholder perspectives spanning migrant women’s digital practices, UNHCR’s visual strategies, artistic interventions, and collaborative media projects. The break also featured a beautifully decorated conference cake, which added a festive touch to the day and offered participants a sweet opportunity to celebrate and connect.
In the afternoon, sessions turned to Gender, Migration, and Digital Practices and Creative and Performative Expression, addressing themes from queer migrant visibility to community music and multilingual identity. Panel 2, Reel Borders, showcased a collaborative, interdisciplinary project reflecting on border imaginaries.
The academic program culminated in a keynote lecture by Dr. Diyako Rahmani (Massey University, New Zealand): “The Borders We Carry: Reflexivity, Ambivalence, and Creative Methods in Migration Research.”
Beyond the lecture halls, the day also included an excursion through Tallinn’s UNESCO World Heritage Old Town, giving participants a chance to connect in a cultural setting. The day concluded with a festive conference dinner at the historic Peppersack Restaurant, where delegates gathered to continue discussions in a convivial atmosphere.
For more information, please contact Dr. Anastassia Zabrodskaja, Professor of Intercultural Communication at Tallinn University’s Baltic Film, Media and Arts School, and chair of the ECREA Diaspora, Migration and the Media – International and Intercultural Communication Sections Conference “Beyond Borders: Creative Methods and Reflexive Approaches to Migration, Media, and Intercultural Dialogue
