A Microsymposium on “The Transmission and Maintenance of Diaspora Identity Through time and Generation”
as part of the 17th Annual International Conference on Visual and Performing Arts
8-12 June 2026, Athens, Greece
Sponsored by the Athens Journal of Humanities & Arts
The Arts & Culture Unit of the Athens Institute is organizing a Microsymposium on “The Transmission and Maintenance of Diaspora Identity Through time and Generation” as part of the 17th Annual International Conference on Visual and Performing Arts, 8-12 June 2026, Athens, Greece sponsored by the Athens Journal of Humanities & Arts.
Diaspora communities with their specific cultural identity are found throughout the world and exist on a continuum of redevelopment as they evolve. The experience of diaspora identity and the transmission of memory culture that supports identity maintenance may vary by generation, the original migrants and their descendants born in diaspora. Diaspora community members of all generations may maintain a sense of nostalgia but also negative emotions of not belonging to either their original homeland or the host community. This may be expressed as having two homelands and, in a sense, belonging to both. While potentially enriching, diaspora identity may in fact be more like belonging nowhere and being a stranger in both cultures. This may represent a negative emotion associated with the experience of migration and acculturation despite the generation of membership. This session will explore the transmission and maintenance of diaspora identity through time and generation and consider how associated psychosocial factors and the recreated social environment of the culture of origin may influence wellbeing and the experience of illness that are significant factors in overall health as well as the promotion of health and wellbeing in diaspora. You may participate as stream leader, presenter of one paper, chair of a session or observer.
Fee structure information is available on www.atiner.gr/fees.
Please submit an abstract (email only) to: atiner@atiner.gr, using the abstract submission form by 17 February 2026 to: Dr. Maria-Irini Avgoulas, Academic Member, Athens Institute & Casual Academic, School of Health, Medical & Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia and Cultural Counselling and Consultancy, Australia. Abstracts should include the following: Title of Paper, Full Name (s), Affiliation, Current Position, an email address, and at least 3 keywords that best describe the subject of your submission. Decisions are reached within 4 weeks.