The Academy of Mobility Humanities held the 2024 Global Mobility Humanities Conference (GMHC) from 24-26th October at Konkuk University’s Seoul Campus. The GMHC, which began in 2019, has been held every year except for 2020, when it was cancelled due to the pandemic. In its 5th year, the 2024 GMHC was themed “Mobilities, Aspirations and Affective Futures.”
The 2024 GMHC was co-hosted by the International Institute for Asian Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the National University of Singapore, with support from Konkuk University, the Ministry of Education, the Korea Research Foundation, and the Institute of Developing Countries of Japan External Trade Organisation. With 85 scholars from 25 countries, the conference lasted three days, during which participants shared academic ideas and engaged in cultural exchanges.
After the official reception on the evening of the 24th, the opening ceremony on the 25th featured speeches by key representatives from the co-hosting institutions, including Professor Inseop Shin, Director of the Academy of Mobility Humanities, as well as a congratulatory speech by President Jongpil Won of Konkuk University. Professor Katarina Damjanov from the University of Western Australia and Professor Bradley Rink from the University of the Western Cape in South Africa delivered keynote speeches. Professor Damjanov discussed the infrastructures of space exploration, capital, and advanced technologies, while Professor Rink presented an analysis of the physical act of breathing and desire as a metaphor from the perspective of affect.
Over the two days, 20 sessions took place, with presentations from researchers from the Academy of Mobility Humanities, as well as scholars from the Asia Mobility Humanities, which is led by the Academy of Mobility Humanities. Scholars from various fields of mobility studies participated, contributing to lively and engaging discussions.
Also in attendance were prominent scholars leading the field of mobility studies, including Professor Mimi Sheller from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (USA), Professor Peter Adey from Royal Holloway, University of London (UK), Professor David Bissell from the University of Melbourne (Australia), Professor Wei-Chiang Lin from the National University of Singapore, Professor Peter Merriman from Aberystwyth University (UK), Professor Noel B. Salazar from KU Leuven (Belgium), and Professor Anna-Leena Toivanen from the University of Eastern Finland. These scholars are also members of the editorial team for the international journal Mobility Humanities, published by the Academy of Mobility Humanities.
