International Migration Institute

'Fortress Europe or Europe of Rights? The Europeanization of family migration policies in France, Germany, and the Netherlands' presented by Saskia Bonjour (Leiden University).

'The numbers game: Targets and indicators in UK immigration policy' presented by Christina Boswell (University of Edinburgh).

Erlend Paasche presents his paper 'Elites and emulators: the evolution of an Iraqi Kurdish - European migration system' in Parallel session VI(D) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 This paper deals with both emigration and return, applying a systems approach on 'forced migrants'. Empirically based on more than 100 in-depth interviews and 7 focus group discussions with Iraqi Kurdish emigrants and returnees to/from the UK and Norway, this paper explores the evolution of an Iraqi Kurdish - European migration system through three time periods, 1975-1991, 1992-1998, and 1999 until today. The first wave, comprised of political elites, were often granted asylum by sympathetic host states in Europe. Through their existentially important remittances, transnational marriages and high-profile return visits these elites had a signalling effect triggering the emigration of a more mixed group of second-wave ‘economic refugees'. Second-wavers emulated the first-wavers in sea

Philip Marfleet presents his paper 'Egypt: Migration, revolution, and social change' in Parallel session VI(D) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 For decades Egypt was a source country for migration to states of the Gulf. Now some of its poorest people leave villages of the Nile Delta for the cities of Europe. Despite formal efforts by European authorities to inhibit these networks, greatly increasing the risks for those involved, the pace of migration has intensified and cross-Mediterranean networks have become integral to the life of some communities. This paper examines the rapid emergence and consolidation of the new networks. It considers the development of new social practices associated with migration and the complex outcomes for migrants and for those who do not migrate. The paper also considers the impact of Egypt's revolution upon migration - the effect of societal upheaval and of a huge rise in expectations of social and economic advance among mil

Larisa Kosygina presents her paper 'Citizens of Kazakhstan in a Russian city: factors facilitating and limiting transnational activities' in Parallel session VI(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 This paper discusses some results of my research, “Foreign citizens in the Novosibirsk region: factors for construction of transnational practices,” undertaken within the collective research project, “Cross-border relations in the Asian part of Russia: a comprehensive assessment of benefits and risks" (funded by the Russian Academy of Science). The paper is based on an analysis of semi-structured interviews with citizens of Kazakhstan residing in Novosibirsk, which is the principal city of the region bordering Kazakhstan. It presents migrants’ understandings of their migration process and factors facilitating or limiting their transnational activity (including transnational migration). Both Russia and Kazakhstan participate in one migration system which emerged

Oana Romocea presents her paper 'Transformative stages of migrant identity' in Parallel session VI(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Part of my doctoral research, the present paper aims to explore how migrant identity transforms over time in response to political and social changes. For the purpose of this study, I conducted in-depth interviews with first-generation Romanian migrants settled in the UK over the last half a century. Using the timing and reason of their relocation, I identified three sub-groups: pre-1989 political refugees, post-1989 knowledge diaspora and post-1989 labour migrants. The study is both a diachronic and synchronic analysis which follows the identity transformation, dynamism and re-adaptation of the Romanian migrant community. I argue that political and social changes have led to major identity shifts within the migrant community at both individual and collective level. If before the 1989 revolution, the Romanians settled in the

Joana Sousa Ribeiro presents his paper 'Beyond migrant lives: the rise and fall of meso-level actors' in Parallel session VI(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 This paper examines the migration from East European countries to Portugal as a particular pattern of the named `southern European model´ (Baldin-Edwards, 1999; King, 2000). It discusses this sub-system through the analysis of the emergence, development and decline of migratory dynamics. Biographic interviews to physicians and nurses coming from Russia Federation, Moldova and Ukraine to Portugal are explored in order to sustain the debate. These non-EU citizens arrived in Portugal without their credentials recognised before they left their country of origin; as a consequence, they do not benefit from any professional, organizational, or supra-national framework. The analysis of the East European doctors and nurses’ pioneer paths into the Portuguese Health Service underlines the importance of multi-

Lucinda Platt presents her paper 'Accounting for diversity in Polish migration in Europe' co-authored by Renee Luthra & Justyna Salamonska in Parallel session VI(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Research on the decision to migrate overwhelmingly draws from neo-classical and revised economic models of international flows, in which individuals and their families choose migration strategies to maximize and diversify their incomes (Borjas, 1989)and reduce their exposure to financial risks (Taylor, 1999, Stark and Bloom, 1985). Yet these models do little to explain the large amount of remaining variation in the type and size of migration flows across receiving countries after the costs and benefits of migration are accounted for. We also know relatively little about how non-economic determinants of migration impact the integration process of new immigrants in the destination country. This paper examines cross-national variation in the non-economic motivation

Robert Westermann presents his paper 'The ‘Neogramscian approach’: using 'Critical Theories' to explain migration systems' in Parallel session V(E) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Until now World System approaches, also known as Critical Theories, are mainly applied in International Relation research. In the following I will illustrate on one example, the Neogramscian approach of Robert Cox, how global correlations of social forces, forms of state and global orders profoundly affect International Migration processes and should be considered by theoretical debates in Migration Studies. Furthermore, I will show how the specific perspective of social transformation in combination with the awareness of local rescaling processes can be a promising extension for the research of Migration Systems.

Gabriela Quevedo presents her paper '‘Now smells like revolution': migrants' activism, subjectivities, and agency in contemporary London' in Parallel session V(E) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Over the last sixty years London has transformed itself into a service based city where global economic forces have developed an expanding low-paid economy that relies heavily on migrant labour (Sassen, 1991; quoted in Evans et al., 2005). These historic and social processes have been the fertile ground of new forms of political, social and cultural mobilisation often led by migrants. It is within this setting that my doctoral research seeks to illuminate empirically the links between migrant's activism -as it comes into being- and the question of agency and social change. Using ethnographic data from my engagement with the 3cosas campaign at the University of London, I argue that the epistemological premises of feminism, and in particular the notions of subjectivi

Sanghita Datta presents her paper 'Dis-locating the local: A study of the migrants originating from the Indian enclaves' in Parallel session V(E) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Borders divide nations and with it, it also divides localities irrespective of class and religion. The partition of India happened in two folds:- firstly with Pakistan and secondly with Bangladesh. In this entire process of drawing and re- drawing of borders the residue, in this entire process, are the inhabitants of borders. This has been a similar experience in case of all those who have been uprooted due to war and have been displaced internally due to various reasons. The Radcliffe Commission's ‘Blunder Line', demarcated the boundary line between India and Pakistan-East and West Pakistan separately. It gave rise to a number of boundary disputes about the adversarial possession of enclaves. The major bone of contention are the 106 enclaves (locally known as ‘chits') of India in h

Alexandra Winkels presents her paper 'Migrant networks and the migration process: considering the spatial and temporal dimensions of social capital' in Parallel session V(D) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sep 13 This paper investigates the different functions of migrant networks at different stages of the migration process. Migration processes are conceptually divided into three stages (a) decision making (b) transition and (c) adaptation. Looking at migration as a spatial as well as a temporal process allows us to consider the role of social capital in managing the risks and opportunities of mobility, and to gain a deeper understanding of migrant agency. Based on a case study of internal migration in Vietnam the research shows that migrants are highly reliant on their family and friends to access resources and information to reduce the challenges associated with moving, settling and both accessing and maintaining income opportunities at the destination. This is par

Tamar Zurabishvili presents her paper 'Migration networks in action: Case of Daba Tianeti' co-authored by Tinatin Zurabishvili in Parallel session V(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 International labor migration started from most of the former Soviet republics only after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and Georgia is no exception. Since then, however, migration flows and the character of migration from Georgia changed drastically from being overwhelmingly directed towards Russia and consisting of male migrants, to redirecting itself towards the EU and Northern America and becoming feminized. Present paper analysis how migration networks develop and work based on the analysis of two waves of fieldwork, conducted in a small migrant sending community in Georgia, Daba Tianeti. First fieldwork was conducted in Daba Tianeti in 2006 and employed a mixed method approach, consisting of the survey of all Daba Tianeti Households (1062 cases) and 23 in-depth in

Uta Lehmann presents her paper 'Skilled Iranians in Germany and the United States: exploring migrants' networks' in Parallel session V(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Every year 150.000 highly skilled persons leave Iran and seek new opportunities in the United States and Europe (Carrington/Detragiache 1998). A look back at history shows that these migration flows have a long tradition. They first started with educational exchanges in the early 19th century and reached its climax in the year of the Iranian Revolution in 1979. A well-educated Diaspora has resulted as a result of these movements. However, empirical findings indicate that Iranians immigrating to the United States are more successful in sustaining and promoting their educational and professional potential than Iranians coming to Europe. Here, the complex interconnection of influencing factors at the micro-, meso and macro level within a migration system becomes important. One key trait that e

Juan Iglesias presents his paper ''Se quedó ¿a volver?': crisis, stay, and return in the case of Ecuadorians in Spain' in Parallel session V(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 The communication is based on a mixed research focused on the study of the effects of the current economic crisis is generating on the migration processes and projects of Ecuadorians living in Spain. Communication seeks to explore, specifically, in the processes of stay, new international mobility and return that the current economic crisis is making among the ethnic Ecuadorian population in Spain. Before the crisis, Ecuadorian migrants formed one of the most significant migratory realities in the Spanish context, not only for its volume, 458,437 (INE, 1-1-2008) but, especially, for their progressive and widespread process of incorporation, settlement and rooted in Spanish society (access regulation and nationalization, family reunification, residential settlement, some upward job mob

Christiane Timmerman presents her paper 'The relevance of ‘feedback mechanisms' in migration impacted regions' in Parallel session V(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 This paper is co-authored by Kenneth Hemmerechts, Helene de Clerck, and Roos Willems. People form migration related perceptions - especially in regions with a long emigration tradition where migration has reached a certain momentum - from a range of specific local, national and international sources (Timmerman et. al 2010, De Haas 2010, Portes 2010). However, these regional migration impacted cultures are situated in changing socio-economic macro contexts that also influence people's perceptions of opportunities that migration may generate. Europe is going through an economic crisis while some ‘source countries' are witnessing considerable economic growth; as for example Turkey. This does not apply for Morocco, another important ‘source country' for Europe. In this contribution we focus on

'Nationality acquisition in Spain: Legal asymmetries and effects on selectivity' presented by Amparo González-Ferrer (Spanish Research Council – CSIC).

Linda Oucho presents her paper 'The influence of networks in the migration decisions of Kenyan and Nigerian women bound for the UK' in Parallel session IV(E) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013 Networks and the information they convey can play a very important role in the decision to migrate. With technological advancements taking place in today's globalised world, potential migrants can consult individuals on information about their chosen destination, but they can also explore their options by using the internet to investigate the information that they need in order to make a decision of whether to migrate to their chosen destination. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the changing nature of networks through time with a focus on exploring how different types of networks were used by Kenyan and Nigerian women in their decision to migrate to the UK as an individual or a family unit. The paper is based on my PhD thesis completed in November 2011 which focus

Katie Kuschminder presents her paper 'Strong ties, weak ties and protection for domestic workers: Ethiopian domestic worker migration to the Middle East' in Parallel session IV(E) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond Few comparisons have been made that examine the difference in migration outcomes for migrants that migrate via a strong versus a weak tie. This paper will contribute to this research area through an examination of Ethiopian female migration to the Middle East by using a network lens to compare migration via weak or strong ties. Domestic workers provide an interesting case for this analysis as they are vulnerable in their migration, and network supports can provide critical resources for the safety and security of the migrant and ensure an economic livelihood. The central hypothesis of this paper is two-fold: first that women with dense ties have greater opportunity to access migration due to their networks; and secondly that women migrating via strong ties would hav

Chris Moreh presents his paper 'From post-socialist to post-accession pioneering: the shaping of Romanian migration networks to Spain and the UK' in Parallel session IV(E) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond 24-26 Sept 2013 This paper examines the dynamics of Romanian migration networks following the fall of socialism, by comparing two receiving countries, Spain and the United Kingdom. While Spain is a well-established destination for Romanian migrants, who constitute the most numerous foreign-born group in the Iberian country, the United Kingdom has seen more moderate levels of immigration from Romania, slightly ascending following the latter's EU accession in 2007. The question posed in the paper is why movements to certain places have been more able to develop into systems than others. To answer this question, the paper analyses the development of particular migration networks in the two countries, showing the complex relationships and contingent events that led to the emer