11th Annual Minority Seminar
Paradoxes of International Professional Mobility in the Polycrisis Era
Welcome to the 11th Annual Minority studies profile seminar “Paradoxes of International Professional Mobility in the Polycrisis Era”
The seminar is hosted by Åbo Akademi University minority studies profile and the Åbo Akademi University School of Business of Economics in collaboration with the “Cosmopolitan life, identity and future of work (COSMO)” project, the “Mobile Futures” project, and the Turku School of Economics at the University of Turku.
The seminar is also the COSMO project final seminar and launch of the COSMO book “The Many Faces of Global Mobility: Cosmopolitans and the Future of Work”.
We aim for a genuinely novel, interdisciplinary take on international professional mobility, inspired by keynote speeches by Professor of Organizational Psychology Chris Steyaert from the University of St. Gallen and Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behavior Marjana Johansson from the University of Glasgow.
Participating faculty include experts from e.g. business studies, migration studies, history and law, such as Niina Nummela, Magdalena Kmak, Mika Raunio, Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen, Charlotta Wolff, Maria Elo, and Maria Ivanova-Gongne. The seminar provides a valuable opportunity for exchange and networking, especially for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers.
The workshop is free of charge and includes coffee breaks and lunches. Registration closes at Tuesday 28th of April 2026. Please sign up here
Programme
Thursday, May 7, 2026 Åbo Akademi University, Arken, building G (Tehtaankatu 2, 20500 Turku).
N.B. You can access the Arken G-building directly from the street. You do not need to enter through the gates to the Arken courtyard.
9:00-10:00 Registration and coffee
10:00-10:15 Welcome and introduction, Professor Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen and Professor Magdalena Kmak
10:15-11:15 Keynote speech by Professor Chris Steyaert, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
11:15-11:20 Break
11:20-12:00 Reflections: Maria Ivanova-Gongne and Professor Eriikka Paavilainen-Mäntymäki
12:00-13:00 Lunch (Café Arken)
13:00-14:15 Paradox I: “Highlighted/visible versus omitted/invisible”. Professor Magdalena Kmak, Mika Raunio and Olivia Maury
14:15-14:45 Coffee break
14:45-16:15 Paradox II: “Individual agency in the face of precarity”. Professor Charlotta Wolff, Dan Ha Le and Johanna Raitis
16:15-17:30 Book launch: “The Many Faces of Global Mobility: Cosmopolitans and the Future of Work” (refreshments and hors d’oeuvres served)
Friday, May 8, 2026 Åbo Akademi University, Arken G-building, Tehtaankatu 2, 20500 Turku
8:30-9:00 Coffee
9:00-9:15 Introduction and reflections
9:15-10:15 Paradox III: “Organizations – inclusive or stratified?” Marjana Johansson, University of Glasgow; postdoctoral researcher Jagat Kunwar, Åbo Akademi University
10:15-10:30 Reflections
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-12:15 PhD students’ and Young scholars’ session. Presentations by Maria Hokkinen, Linh Duong, Sahizer Samuk. Session chair: Maria Ivanova-Gongne, Åbo Akademi University
12:15-13.00 Closing remarks and lunch (Arken G-building, lobby)
Feel free to contact Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen (wbarner@abo.fi), Maria Ivanova-Gongne (mivanova@abo.fi), or Elina Sagne-Ollikainen (elina.sagne-ollikainen@abo.fi) in case you have any questions about the seminar.
We look forward to welcoming you to Turku!
