Education & research
The 19th Baltic Conference on Intellectual Cooperation
Bridging and Bonding: Migration across the Baltic Sea
Date
14.5.2025 - 15.5.2025Time
10.00 - 12.30Location
Hanaholmen, EspooEvent type
Free of chargeLanguage
EnglishBridging and Bonding: Migration across the Baltic Sea
The aim of the conference is to assemble scientists from several academic societies around the Baltic Sea to discuss the topic of migration past and present. The Baltic Sea has been a highway for commerce and migration ever since people have settled in this region. The Baltic Sea has also served as a battlefield between states and empires. Migration has followed a dialectic process of openness (bridging) and closing (bonding), where these phases succeed one another in a nonlinear manner. The openness prior to WWII was followed by a period of closeness during the Cold War, then replaced by renewed openness until 2015, when a new phase of voluntary closeness began.
A preliminary schedule for the two-day conference around the ambiguous concept of migration across the Baltic Sea:
Day I, Wednesday 14 May 2025
| Time | Programme |
|---|---|
13.00–13.05 | Welcoming greetings from the chairperson of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters |
13.05–13.10 | A welcome from the Advisory committee |
13.10–13.15 | A welcome from Kimmo Sasi, the chairperson of the board of the Finnish Swedish cultural centre Hanaholmen |
13.15–13.30 | Practical information |
Session 1
Migration and geopolitical change
| Time | Programme |
|---|---|
13.30–14.00 | PhD Kaja Haukanomm, University of Tartu: Bridging and Bonding: Estonians Migration across the Baltic Sea during the II WW. |
14.00–14.30 | Pol.lic. Ove Knekt, The Estonian Swedes and the big flight from Estonia in 1943-1944 |
14.30–15.00 | Professor Henrik Meinander, University of Helsinki: Soldiers, Evacuees, POWs - Finnish Migration, 1939–1945 |
15.00–15.30 | Panel discussion |
15.30–15.50 | Coffee break |
Session 2
Post Soviet Era
| Time | Programme |
|---|---|
15.50–16.20 | Professor Li Bennich-Björkman, Uppsala University: Forgotten and Re-found Neighbours: Sweden's Relations with the Baltic States After 1945 |
16.20–16.50 | Professor Egidijus Aleksandravičius, Vytatus Magnus University: Types of Emigration from Post-Soviet Countries |
16.50–17.20 | Professor Tiit Tammaru, University of Tartu: Migration turnaround in Estonia: From emigration to immigration |
17.20–17.50 | Panel discussion |
Day II, Thursday 15 May 2025
Session 3
EU membership and free border crossing within Schengen
| Time | Programme |
|---|---|
9.30–10.00 | PhD Jessica Gustafsson, Södertörn University: The connectivity of Post-migrant media in Baltic Sea Region |
10.00–10.30 | Docent Katarina Mattsson, Södertörn University and PHD. Riikka Taavetti, University of Turku: Cruising the Baltic Sea: Nation, Gender and sexuality in pleasure-based ferry traffic between Finland, Åland and Sweden |
10.30–11.00 | Professor Aušra Maslauskaitė, Vytatus Magnus University: Demographic anxiety and migration in Lithuania |
11.00–11.30 | Panel discussion |
Session 4
New barriers against migration and asylum
| Time | Programme |
|---|---|
12.30–13.00 | Professor Inta Mierina, University of Latvia: The consequences of labor market integration of the Nordic-Baltic region: beyond the economic effects |
13.00–13.30 | Professor Ann-Cathrine Jungar, Södertörn University: A turn towards Restrictive Migration Legislation in Nordic Countries |
13.30–14.00 | Panel discussion: Concluding findings and prospects for the future |
14.00–15.30 | Final words from the organisers and the participating organisations. Safety travel home on or over the Baltic Sea |
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