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THEMIS: Changing migration opportunity structures of Roma and their hosting societies: The case of Belgium

Series
International Migration Institute
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Johan Wets presents his paper 'Changing migration opportunity structures of Roma and their hosting societies: the case of Belgium' in Parallel session IV(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013
The overthrowing of the socialist regimes in Eastern Europe lead to different societies, with more freedom on the one hand, but disappearing social safety nets, economic disruption and often booming unemployment, especially amongst ethno-cultural minorities like the Roma. As a result of the accession of Eastern European countries, some communities saw their "migration opportunity structures" change dramatically. This had lead to increasing numbers of Eastern European migrants with a Roma background in other European countries. Roma populations are on a policy level often approached as one homogenous group. The Roma themselves are however an extremely heterogeneous group having different nationalities, speaking different languages, adhering to different religions, having different visions and experiences on the labour market an defining themselves in different ways as Roma, Sinti, Kalderash, ... . There live in the different European countries, some are EU citizens and some not. Some rely heavily on social security benefits and others work and provide for their own sustenance. But there are many common characteristics: they have been (often suppressed) minorities for centuries, they have extended networks spread over different countries and they have specific forms of organization. The question that can be raised is what exactly makes them Roma? Is it the fact that they are very often poor, is it a ‘culture of poverty" or is it a "Roma culture"? Is the migration of these ethno-cultural minorities to (other) EU countries a "Roma migration" or a migration of Roma individuals?

The paper proposed will address this issue and look at the dynamic of new Roma migration, on the "push and pull" factors (reaction of host societies), at opportunity structures and networks. The data used in this paper results from an analysis of international research on the one hand and of a research project executed in Belgium in 2012.
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Episode Information

Series
International Migration Institute
People
Johan Wets
Keywords
THEMIS
migration
belgium
roma
Department: Oxford Department of International Development
Date Added: 20/01/2014
Duration: 00:15:05

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THEMIS: Challenging the borders of intimacy and legality: migrant agency in response to Danish restrictions on transnational marriage

Series
International Migration Institute
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Tess Hellgren presents her paper 'Challenging the borders of intimacy and legality: migrant agency in response to Danish restrictions on transnational marriage' in Parallel session IV(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond
Based on my 2012 dissertation work for the Oxford MSc in Migration Studies, my presentation will explore migrants' creative agency in response to Denmark's ‘24-year rule' limiting transnational marriage migration. My paper will examine how Danish restrictions have impacted the decisions, identities, and livelihoods of Danish-migrant couples - and how these couples' agentive strategies are creating new migration flows between Denmark and southern Sweden, with implications for regional transnational belonging and on-going legal debates on the balance of national and EU authority.

Over the past ten years, immigration discourses have been increasingly politicised in Denmark, tied to the enhanced influence of the right-wing Danish People's Party over mainstream political leadership. Amidst the societal normalisation of anti-immigration sentiments, since 2002 legislation on marriage migration places strict requirements of age, income, and ‘national attachment' upon any third-country national (TCN) wishing to marry a Dane. In practice, these marriage restrictions have been a pragmatic immigration control, considerably restricting the eligibility of potential applicants for family migration.

In response to the Danish governments' legal impediments, many Danes wishing to marry TCNs - particularly Danes in the Copenhagen area - have chosen to move to southern Sweden, where their marriage is allowed under stronger rights to family life derived from their status as mobile EU citizens. By relocating across the Danish border, impacted couples are strategically navigating intersecting levels of Danish, Nordic, and EU law in their determination to form a partnership. This provocative outcome establishes new patterns of transnational living and identity, as many couples reside in Sweden but spend more time working and visiting family across the border in Denmark. It also raises important questions about present and future interactions of national and supranational legal structures in the realm of EU family migration and beyond.
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Episode Information

Series
International Migration Institute
People
Tess Hellgren
Keywords
THEMIS
migration
migration agency
denmark
transnational marriage
Department: Oxford Department of International Development
Date Added: 20/01/2014
Duration: 00:13:26

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THEMIS: Migrants' expected time of residence in receiving countries: a systems approach

Series
International Migration Institute
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Jack DeWaard presents his paper 'Migrants' expected time of residence in receiving countries: a systems approach' co-authored by Guy Abel in Parallel session III(D) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond
This paper bridges recent developments in migration systems theory with empirical work on international migration systems to examine the latter in a theoretically informed way. Unlike in previous research, our efforts go beyond merely examining exchanges in the form of migration flows, and further consider the dynamics which govern these exchanges. We synthesize these two components in a fairly new measure of international migration. Termed migrants' expected time of residence, we estimate this quantity each receiving country in the EU-15 every five years from 1960-1965 to 2005-2010 and disaggregate our results by sending region, subregion, and country. In the process, our work helps to clarify three persistent problems in the empirical research on international migration systems, and, more generally, provides a blueprint for moving forward in this area in a way that is consistent with recent theoretical concerns and developments.
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Episode Information

Series
International Migration Institute
People
Jack DeWaard
Keywords
THEMIS
migration
systems approach
Department: Oxford Department of International Development
Date Added: 20/01/2014
Duration: 00:19:13

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THEMIS: Stuck in transit: the Dublin regulation, national discrepancies, and secondary migration of asylum seekers in Europe

Series
International Migration Institute
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Jan-Paul Brekke presents his paper 'Stuck in transit: the Dublin regulation, national discrepancies & secondary migration of asylum seekers' co-authored by Grete Brochmann in Parallel session III(D) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics
Tensions related to a harmonization of EUs asylum policies are reinforced by the current economic crisis. In this paper we look at the interplay between the Dublin Regulation, national discrepancies in asylum policies and individual migrants' strategies.

We study mechanisms in the interaction between the supranational, the national and the individual level. The empirical focal point is bilateral secondary migration between Italy and Norway. Interviews with Eritrean migrants, with NGO personnel and government representatives in the two countries provide the basis for a discussion of two research questions:

- In what ways is the Dublin Regulation challenged by national differences, migrants' strategies and the current economic crisis?
- How does the Dublin Regulation influence migrants' strategies regarding secondary movements within Europe?


We argue that although this particular migration system stretches back further along the route between Eritrea and Norway, it makes sense to study the intermediary stage of the asylum journeys - the unclear transit/destination juncture of Italy and Norway.

Secondary movements within the EEA-area are indicators of regime competition and the concomitant migrant strategies. By studying secondary movements between the South and the North related to their respective regimes as to the asylum/labor market/welfare policy nexus, it is possible to analyze tensions and interconnections between the supranational and the national policy levels. In our discussions we draw upon established topics in the field of migration studies, such as destination choices, the role of information, feed-back systems, as well as the importance of experiences in transit.

We combine concepts developed by de Haas (2011) with a model of action used by Brekke and Aarset (2009), to present our data: The migrants' immediate situation, their perception of opportunities in transit/other destination countries, destination information, perceptions of hindrances, capabilities (resources, networks, abilities), and finally destination specificity (directedness towards one specific country).
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Episode Information

Series
International Migration Institute
People
Jan-Paul Brekke
Keywords
THEMIS
migration
secondary migration
asylum seekers
policy
Department: Oxford Department of International Development
Date Added: 20/01/2014
Duration: 00:14:34

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THEMIS: Does migration from Colombia to the United Kingdom constitute a migration system? Exploring the role of migrant agency and structural factors

Series
International Migration Institute
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Anastasia Bermudez presents her paper 'Does migration from Colombia to the UK constitute a migration system?' in Parallel session III(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013
There is limited information and analysis of contemporary migration flows from Colombia to the United Kingdom, despite the fact that this migrant community has attracted increased research interest in the new ‘super-diverse’ Britain. Colombians are one of the oldest and the second-largest national group within the growing Latin American diaspora in London, and are behind many of the ethnic-based organisations and businesses created by this group. However, little is known about the origins and development of these flows. This paper has two main aims. The first is to track the emergence and development of a potential migration system linking Colombia and the United Kingdom. The second is to explore the role of both agency and structure in this context, in line with current scholarship on migration systems. This paper is based on the limited secondary data available, and the primary data accumulated during more than ten years of research with the Colombian community in London. One of the main contributions of the paper is the adoption of an intersectional approach that takes into account gender, class and type of migration when analysing the role of agency and the so-called pioneer migrants.

Episode Information

Series
International Migration Institute
People
Anastasia Bermudez
Keywords
THEMIS
migration
colombia
united kingdom
social actors
migration flows
Department: Oxford Department of International Development
Date Added: 20/01/2014
Duration: 00:17:11

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THEMIS: The role of both migrants and institutions in an enduring pattern of migration: the case of Almeria, a province of Spain which acts as a stage for undocumented migrants to pursue regularisation papers

Series
International Migration Institute
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Pauline Carnet presents her paper 'The role of both migrants and institutions in an enduring pattern of migration' in Parallel session III(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013
Based on my PhD, my paper will examine how an enduring pattern of migration is sustained and the role of both social actors and structural factors in the face of this process.

Nowadays, international migrants glide between constraints and strategies, regularity and irregularity. Their migration, built on several stages, constitutes a real “snakes and ladders”. In it, Almeria is a stage where it is possible to get "papers". Since the 90’s, this Spanish province specialised in agriculture has centralized the African migrants who are in a precarious situation. How is this possible?

1/ Migrants have the capacity to be mobile and develop strategies to reach Europe and to look for housing, employment and papers. 2/ Spanish governmental institutions fluctuate between control and tolerance regarding migration – fluctuation partly linked with the economic function of undocumented migrants.

I will develop theoretical constructs explaining undocumented migrants’ use and development of social networks. Their mobility will be qualified as a mastered roving, mastering that is essentially done through social relations and the constitution of social networks. I will explain why some of them are in a zero square, i.e, a special space-time, intermediate between the border crossing and the insertion in the European space and characterized by the repetition of basic survival situations.
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Episode Information

Series
International Migration Institute
People
Pauline Carnet
Keywords
THEMIS
migration
social actors
Department: Oxford Department of International Development
Date Added: 20/01/2014
Duration: 00:17:12

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THEMIS: To move or not to move (when one arguably has the social capital): the mediating effect of migrant family networks on migration aspirations and planned and unplanned Mexico - U.S. migration

Series
International Migration Institute
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Mathew Creighton presents his paper 'To move or not to move (when one arguably has the social capital)' co-authored by Fernando Riosmena, in Parallel session III(C) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013
Prior migrants with ties to migrants-to-be provide the latter with important information and assistance to move and find accommodations and work in destinations. Individuals with better access to migration-specific social capital are considerably more likely to aspire to and eventually migrate themselves. However, it is less understood why some individuals with access to migrant networks and the associated migration-specific social capital do not “make use” of this social capital and remain in their countries of origin. Among potential migrants, instances of leaving social capital dormant could manifest as behavior (i.e., no subsequent migration) or a change in aspirations (i.e., no longer seeing migration as a potential pathway). As such, they represent an interesting case for migration theory and a way to obtain some analytical leverage to better understand migration decisions. In this paper, we compare the U.S. migration intentions and behavior according to whether they have no, moderate, or larger access to migrant networks. We use two waves from the Mexican Family Life Survey (MxFLS), collected in 2002 and 2005/6, to assess the translation of migration networks and stated aspirations to migrate into subsequent migration behavior, taking into account baseline sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, migrant networks and emigration aspirations. Among those that do not migrate, we distinguish those that remain and continue to aspire to a future move from those that no longer consider migration to be an option.

Episode Information

Series
International Migration Institute
People
Mathew Creighton
Keywords
THEMIS
migration
family networks
united states
Mexico
migration aspirations
Department: Oxford Department of International Development
Date Added: 20/01/2014
Duration: 00:13:19

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THEMIS: Mediating migration: the role of the Qiaoban (the Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs) in the rescaling of the Wenzhou region in China

Series
International Migration Institute
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Ya-Han Chuang presents her paper 'Mediating migration: the role of the Qiaoban in the rescaling of the Wenzhou region' in Parallel session III(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013
Based on a multi-sited ethnography, this paper aims to provide a nuanced picture of the meso-level interaction between Chinese migrants, their sending/receiving localities, and the Chinese government through the case of Wenzhou migrants in Paris and the Qiaoban - the "Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs."
The paper begins by presenting the evolving relationship between migrants and the Qiaoban of Wenzhou. The Wenzhou region experienced tremendous growth in the decades following the economic reform of 1978, which allowed for the emergence of new patterns of migration as Wenzhou residents profited from the local informal credit institutions and cheap local goods to take their businesses abroad. The Qiaoban has used this success to promote the Wenzhou development model, particularly through the commemoration of emigrant histories. I then analyze various institutional tools used to establish trans-local linkages. In the sending region, a structured administration and associations for return migrants were established to collect information and provide services for migrants; and, in the receiving country, numerous voluntary associations cultivate networks with political and economic actors. Various summer camps and associations were also created to link younger generations, often born abroad, to Wenzhou. The article concludes by examining the consequences of these initiatives. Despite the Qiaoban's attempts to "rescale" Wenzhou through promoting the "global Wenzhou diaspora" (shijie wenzhouren), interviews with migrants show that the effects vary due to the unequal degrees of development and infrastructure in different sending villages/townships. While the use of the Qiaoban as a political institution to strengthen links and implement policy in the diaspora is not uniformly effective, it does facilitate economic exchange between localities, thus strengthening the trans-local networks between the sending and receiving communities.
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Episode Information

Series
International Migration Institute
People
Ya-Han Chuang
Keywords
THEMIS
migration
wenzhou
china
Department: Oxford Department of International Development
Date Added: 20/01/2014
Duration: 00:16:29

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THEMIS: The impact of sending states’ transnational policies on migration dynamics: a comparative analysis of South American cases

Series
International Migration Institute
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Ana Margheritis presents her paper 'The impact of sending states’ transnational policies on migration dynamics: a comparative analysis of South American cases' in Parallel session III(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond
The phenomenon of state-led transnationalism (i.e., the policies and programs that nation-states implement to reach out to their citizens abroad) is relatively under-studied within both migration and international relations studies. Although those policies have expanded lately in all regions, the literature is still overwhelmingly concerned with issues that affect receiving (rather than sending) countries, the economic (rather than political) impact of migration, bottom-up transnational practices and networks, and a few cases.

The mechanisms of transnational policymaking in the migration area, as well as policy impact on migration patterns and migrants’ engagement in the sending and receiving countries, remain largely under-researched. There is also a biased selection of cases that focuses on large and/or politically relevant emigrant communities and transnational practices that are facilitated by geographic proximity between home and host societies. Regarding the Americas, South American cases have been less explored than Mexico and Caribbean countries. In fact, given the unfortunate record of state violence, dramatic economic crises, and recurrent political instability, South American countries can shed light not only on the emergence and maintenance of out-migration patterns but also on the complex, and often conflictive, relationship between migrant associations and state institutions across long distances.

This study assesses the results of recent emigration policies in Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay and Mexico with an eye on what the outcome tells us about transnational governance. The first three cases have received less scholarly attention than others and are representative of different trends within the region, thus offering the opportunity to expand existing knowledge and revisit critically some assumptions. Mexico provides a good comparative background and long-term historical perspective. The outcomes do not allow for a full comparison or generalizations, but they contribute to specify how transnational policymaking occurs and how new forms of governance are developing in the area of human mobility.
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Episode Information

Series
International Migration Institute
People
Ana Margheritis
Keywords
THEMIS
migration
transnational policies
ecuador
argentina
Mexico
Uruguay
Department: Oxford Department of International Development
Date Added: 20/01/2014
Duration: 00:15:38

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THEMIS: Guyanese migration since independence: Migration policies, migrant networks, and postcolonial ties

Series
International Migration Institute
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Simona Vezzoli presents her paper 'Guyanese migration since independence: Migration policies, migrant networks, and postcolonial ties' in Parallel session III(B) of the conference Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond, 24-26 Sept 2013
Historical migration patterns in the Caribbean saw a transformation in the 1960s-70s as many former colonies gained independence and new migration policies were introduced at origin and destination. If some policies potentially may have reduced migration opportunities towards former colonial states, migrant networks and post-colonial ties established before independence may have acted as migration-facilitating factors to sustain migration. Without overlooking important contextual factors at origin and destination, we could hypothesise that border controls and migration policies, migrant networks, and postcolonial ties should explain in part the variations in migration patterns following independence.
To explore this hypothesis, I use data from an in-depth case study of Guyana. In the 1960-2000 period, the overall emigrant stock grew from 6 to 48 percent of the total population, whereas the emigrant stock in the UK fell from over 37 to less than 1 percent during the same period. Immigration policies, negative economic performance and growing racial tensions in the UK have been provided as explanations of such drop. At the same time, less restrictive immigration policies in North America may explain the development of new destinations. But why such a severe drop, unlike other British Caribbean countries? This case suggests that the beneficial connectivity provided by migrant networks and post-colonial ties may in fact have been left ‘unused' as the objectives of migrants evolved and their interest towards the old migration destination declined. This paper considers migration not uniquely as the result of structural forces, but as dynamic responses of individuals to the diverse opportunities created by contextual national and international structures. In so doing, this paper aims to improve our understanding of migration processes and dynamics, the relevance of migration policies, migrant networks and postcolonial ties, and also provide some evidence surrounding the decline of migrant networks.
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Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK (BY-NC-SA): England & Wales; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

Episode Information

Series
International Migration Institute
People
Simonna Vezzoli
Keywords
THEMIS
migration
guyana
migration policy
Department: Oxford Department of International Development
Date Added: 20/01/2014
Duration: 00:18:17

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