ACRONYM Final Conference in Paris
Paris, November 4.-5. 2025
Looking back at ACRONYM Final Conference in Paris
On November 4–5, the ACRONYM Project held its final conference in Paris, bringing together around fifty participants at the Learning Planet Institute during the two-day programme, and more than 180 guests for the evening event at the National Museum of the History of Immigration. The gathering offered an interdisciplinary space connecting research, art, and practice, and explored how migration is represented, communicated, and governed across diverse contexts.
Exploring Migration Narratives and Policy Responses
The first day opened with welcoming remarks from Anneliese Depoux, Laëtitia Atlani-Duault (Université Paris Cité), and Katarína Cséfalvayová (Institute for Central Europe).
This was followed by a keynote from Hélène Thiollet (Sciences Po CERI) who examined migration narratives and media representations, and how they influence public opinion and policy responses. Her talk received insightful responses from Marieke Huysentruyt (HEC Paris), who emphasized the power of language in shaping perceptions and relationships between newcomers and natives; and Fatemeh Jailani (former Deputy CEO of SINGA, Board Member of the European Migration Forum, and Founding Member of Starting New: The EU Newcomer Entrepreneurship Policy Coalition), who underlined the importance of fostering genuine encounters between newcomers and host communities to move beyond misleading representations, and build mutual understanding.
The following roundtable, From Crisis Framing to Policy Responses, moderated by François Gemenne (Université de Liège), brought together Katarína Cséfalvayová, Clarissa Tabosa (Comenius University), and Hélène Thiollet to reflect on the lessons learned from the two European Commission funded projects – MAGYC and ACRONYM; notably on how to move beyond crisis-driven discourses toward more rights-based approaches.
Day Two: Media Ethics, Public Perceptions, and Field Experiences
Day two began with a presentation of the Charte de Marseille from Tania Racho and Sedera Ranaivoarinosy (Désinfox-Migration). Signed by several French media organisations, the Charter outlines eleven principles promoting ethical and accurate journalism when covering migration.
A second roundtable entitled “Migrations, Perceptions and Social Cohesion,” moderated by Charles Autheman (International consultant; HEC Paris and Sciences Po), brought together Speranța Dumitru (Université Paris Cité – CEPED), Mouhoud El-Mouhoub (Université Paris Sciences et Lettres), and Marion Cosperec (More in Common France). The speakers drew on historical, economic, and social insights to challenge long-standing misconceptions, and discussed how public perceptions of migration in Europe can be interpreted across the five key dimensions: contribution, compassion, control, cohesion, and competence.
The closing discussion, Perceptions of Immigration and Field Experiences, chaired by Anneliese Depoux, explored faith-based perspectives on migration with contributions from Katarína Cséfalvayová, Névyne Zeineldin, Marcela Villalobos, and Alexis Leproux, shedding light on how religious communities engage with migrants and refugees across Western and Eastern Europe.
Paper Presentations by Emerging and Established Scholars
Throughout the conference, early-career and established researchers presented papers across two thematic streams — Governance and Narratives.
Topics ranged from EU migration governance and externalization to the politics of representation, climate-induced mobility, and diaspora-led reframing of migration discourses. Presenters examined how definitions, media portrayals, and policy frameworks shape lived experiences and social responses. Participants appreciated the opportunity to share their research and gather insights from peers on their work.
An Evening at the Museum: “From Exile to Commitment”
A highlight of the programme was the evening public event at the National Museum of the History of Immigration (Palais de la Porte Dorée), attended by more than 180 participants.
Moderated by François Gemenne and Anneliese Depoux, the roundtable “From Exile to Commitment: Acting, Creating, Welcoming” featured Benoît Hamon (Singa), Virginie Troit (Fondation Croix-Rouge française), Jorge Orta (artist, Migrations & Climate exhibition), and Dina Ionesco (UNHCR).
The conversation underscored the transformative power of art, policy, and activism on public opinion shaping migration and the integration of newcomers. The evening also included private guided tours of the Migrations & Climate exhibition, followed by a networking gathering with speakers, conference participants, and the Parisian public.
Looking Ahead
While the conference marked the formal closing event of the ACRONYM Project, the discussions clearly expressed a shared ambition to deepen cooperation between academia, civil society, and policymakers. Over the next two months, the ACRONYM team will finalise its remaining research outputs and publications — continuing our commitment to advancing more inclusive, evidence-based, and human-centered approaches to migration.
