Contemporary International Migration Research Articles

FEATURES OF INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION IN THE MODERN WORLD

Research on the patterns of international migration, along with the economic, social, and cultural transformations resulting from the reorientation of regional migration flows in the 21st century, is of paramount relevance for countries actively modernizing their migration policies. This article aims to identify the fundamental regularities of migration dynamics in both donor and recipient countries, based on an assessment of the macroeconomic impact of international migration over the period from 1990 to 2020. The study utilized quantitative measurement methods from organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations, the International Organization for Migration, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, along with analytical and statistical information. The research reveals that recent migration flows consist of a combination of enduring trends, despite obstacles imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which are anticipated to strengthen in the coming decades, as well as sporadic surges triggered by crises and natural disasters. Various demographic trends, climate-induced stressors, transformative technologies, and growing inequalities within and between countries serve as driving forces in contemporary international migration. Simultaneously, violence, conflicts, and despair have led to sudden and substantial population movements, including those from Syria, South Sudan, Myanmar, Venezuela, and more recently, Ukraine. The findings emphasize the complexity and unpredictability of international migration dynamics. However, the ever-expanding and improving data and information resources may enhance our understanding of the critical aspects of migration in increasingly uncertain times. The primary research findings, which offer scientific novelty, introduce a fundamentally new approach to comprehending the role of factors regulating migration processes. The practical significance of the results lies in the development of recommendations and proposals that can be useful in shaping and implementing national migration policies.

The hidden half: the double lives of Chinese migrant women in post-war Britain

ABSTRACT Drawing on oral histories of first-generation migrant women, this paper explores Chinese women’s role in financing migrant households, mothering children and promoting the well-being of the British Chinese community after 1945. It argues that, with better educational attainment and wider participation in professional occupations Chinese migrant women played an increasingly essential yet unrecognised role in private and public lives. This paper expands knowledge of Chinese women’s experiences in contemporary international migration and confirms the necessity of understanding migration through the lens of gender to reveal evolving gendered family roles within migrant households and migrant women’s manifold but unrecognised merits.

Administrative records and international estimates for international migration analysis

This paper addresses the challenges of analyzing contemporary international migration, in the context of South American countries, using databases composed of international migration estimates, from 1990 to 2019, organized by the United Nations, and administrative records produced by the selected countries, between 2000 and 2019. The analysis is developed with reference to the Bengali migration to South America, considered as the expression of one of the trends of South-South migration, in the context of South America, characterized by migratory flows with no historical tradition with the countries of the region. We take into account theories that consider the complexity of contemporary international migrations and their specificities in regional and border contexts. In this study, we organize and discuss United Nations estimates and registration systems for migrants and border movements in South American countries. Our objective is to develop the debate on contemporary international migration, based on the analysis of the data sources available to capture migratory phenomena in the regional context. With this, we seek to contribute to the deepening of studies on south-south international migration in South American countries, considering the complexities of such migratory processes in supranational and border areas.

Istraživanje migracija iz kvalitativne perspektive

This paper aims to present the advantages of a qualitative approach in migration studies. Regardless of its proven validity, the qualitative perspective is still underutilised and remains overshadowed by research inspired by (neo)positivist, quantitative and statistical methods in migration studies. The paper seeks to prove the hypothesis that qualitative research, and the biographical method in particular, enables research on migration in its processuality, provides insight into the interconnection between the structure and the agency in all migration phases, and shines a light on power relations that produce unequal outcomes of these movements. The significance and reach of qualitative approaches have been demonstrated through the analysis of particular methodology solutions and the findings obtained by the research on the contemporary international migration of women from Serbia in the European context. The first section of the paper is a comprehensive overview of the application of theoretical and methodological approaches in migration studies, followed by an elaborate description of individual methodological procedures as well as relevant findings of the mentioned research. The main contribution of this paper is that it shows how qualitative research enables the re-examination and deconstruction of categories within which we are used to observing migrants and which actually represent a reflection of the administrative management of international movements.

Migração Internacional no Brasil: persistências históricas e tendências contemporâneas

The increase of enforced displacements in the world has been highlighted by data from international organizations. This article contextualizes contemporary international migration in Brazil as one of the multiple phenomena related to the impetus of capitalist expansion, especially since the early 2000s, when border immigration of nationalities such as Haitian, Congolese, Bengali and Senegalese have accelerated. Based on bibliographic references and document analysis, we discuss that, despite having achieved a recognized advanced legislation related to refuge and a recent migration law, in Brazil, the State management of the migratory issue is much more related to control and selectivity through extraordinary legal mechanisms, than through guarantees; This has led to a process of inclusion and exclusion of immigrants that goes back to the previous history of Brazilian migratory policy and aligned with international discourse and practices, with growing perspective of immigration being a security and criminalizing issue. As of 2016, the Brazilian departure from international commitments to protect the human rights of migrants has become evident, causing specific situations in the daily lives of these subjects, such as the absence or difficulty of access to health care services, as well as the perpetuation of the situation of provisional or undocumented migration.

Not only for work: Italian migrants in the Athens area

ABSTRACTAccording to the official Italian administrative data, the community of Italians living in Athens went on growing over the years, including the last decade. What are the drivers of Italian immigration in a less‐developed country than Italy, a country which recently has also experienced a more serious crisis than the Italian one? To answer this question, we followed a research strategy based on in‐depth interviews to Italians living in the Athens area. After reviewing the features of the Italian community and those of the group of interviewees, we focus on the respondents who found a job in Athens, both as independent workers and as employees. Our results show that a great number of drivers are at work in producing a migration flow from Italy to Greece. They support the idea that contemporary international migration (more specifically, intra‐European migration) cannot be fully understood by relying exclusively on an economic approach.

Trends in Contemporary International Migration of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is found in the ‘Eastern Africa migration system’ known for turbulent population mobility due to a host of social, economic, and political factors. The migration problem of East Africa, in which, a substantial exploration of the complexity and intensity of the migration pattern of Ethiopia has become necessary in the context of social transformation and development processes. To this end, this study is designed to provide migratory change and developmental patterns of international migration of Ethiopia in regional and sub-regional perspectives based on long-term macro statistics. The data obtained from the Reports of the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs and World Bank’s Development Indicators have been used to describe, analyze and explain long-term patterns of international migration of Ethiopia within the regional contexts. Results show the trend that Ethiopia experienced a continuous increase in its international migrant stock in the last five decades, from less than 400,000 in 1960 to over 1 million in 2015. Refugees and transit migrants constituted the largest number of immigrants, mostly from the neighboring countries, driven by continuous conflicts and political instability. Ethiopia, once dominant in refugee flows in the Horn of Africa due to political conflict, famine, and persecution, experienced a sharp decline in the share of refugees in the Horn of Africa in the last three decades. Economic motives have recently become the prime factors in migration decisions among the Ethiopians as observed with the fact that the USA and the Middle East are the major destinations. The findings revealed that Ethiopian emigration is characterized by the inter-continental flows unlike the Sub-Saharan migration pattern known to have an intra-continental migratory link. Feminization of Ethiopian migration is also evident particularly in core destination countries of the Global North, which indicates the increasing role of females in migration decisions but also disproves the widely held perception about Ethiopians emigration to the Arab World as female-specific. In the final analysis, Ethiopia could be regarded rather as a destination, with over 1.2 million migrants, than as an origin, with just over 800,000 as of 2017, which now make the country a regional migration hub in the Horn of Africa.

WITHDRAWN

The document associated with this DOI has been withdrawn.

Untold stories: Jamaican transnational mothers in New York City

AbstractGlobalization and contemporary international labour migration continue to transform women’s lives. Moreover, gender stereotypes, biased cultural norms, biological responsibilities and economic marginalization serve to constrain women disproportionately, particularly mothers. Indeed, globalization and migration increases existing pressures associated with motherhood. They intensify societal expectations of women, and often result in extreme distress. Many transnational mothers suffer in silence with little or no chance to share their stories and be heard. This study explores the experiences of Jamaican transnational mothers in New York City and documents their stories in light of current research which investigates how transnational motherhood transgresses gender stereotypes and pushes the boundaries of gender roles and expectations. The stories shared in this paper vividly capture the women’s narratives of loss, longing, empowerment and shared responsibilities across borders.

Rural cosmopolitanism at the frontier? Chinese farmers and community relations in northern Queensland, c.1890–1920

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the experiences of Chinese settlers in the Cairns district of northern Queensland, Australia, at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as a potential early expression of a ‘rural cosmopolitanism’ that has more recently been associated in the geographical literature with contemporary international migration. In contrast to other parts of Australia, where Chinese immigration was associated with mining and with racial tensions and segregation, Chinese settlers around Cairns tended to be farmers and store-keepers, and contemporary accounts hint at a degree of tolerance and cross-community interaction that suggests an early form of rural cosmopolitanism. Moreover, the mobilities and aspirations of the Chinese migrants prefigure those of present-day ‘cosmopolitan’ migrants, whilst the discourses of anti-Chinese agitators are echoed in the concerns, fears and prejudices of current anti-immigration sentiments. Drawing on in-depth archival research, the paper documents the dynamics, experiences and relationships of Chinese settlers and debates concerning their presence, from the 1880s to the depletion of the community in the 1910s under pressure from anti-Chinese legislation. In so doing, the paper seeks to draw lessons from this historical perspective for our understanding of international migration to rural areas, and for the possibilities for rural cosmopolitanism in the twenty-first century.

Remittances and Household Welfare in Nigeria

Remittances remain among the most researched issues in contemporary international migrations, poverty alleviation, welfare dynamics and development financing in developing countries. This is particularly so as remittances continue to rival Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and it is being argued to be more effective in driving development than aid. While studies exist on influences of remittances on household welfare in developing countries, many more are needed to sufficiently understand the actual roles of remittances in households’ welfare in Sub-Saharan Africa- one of the poorest regions in the world. The relationship between remittances and household welfare has particularly not been sufficiently empirically tested in Nigeria- the most populous nation in Africa, among the poorest countries in the world and the highest remittances receiving nation in Africa. This article therefore examined the influence of remittances on households’ welfare in Nigeria. This is a very important article considering the increasing trend of migration and efforts to reduce poverty and inequality. Secondary and primary data were gathered for this article. Secondary data were gathered through documents, journal articles and newspapers, among others, while primary data were gathered through quantitative and qualitative methods between 2015 and 2016, Appreciable positive relationships were found between remittances and household welfare. Unlike many previous studies which claimed remittances receiving households mostly spend remittances on consumptions, more robust expenditure patterns were found. Expression of welfare was also found to be beyond the commonly noted to include important intangible welfare credits like community respect for remittances receiving households. It is concuded that development experts, partners, governments, groups and individuals should therefore better appreciate and appropriate both the financial and non-material effects of remittances on inequality and poverty in developing countries especially of Africa.

Geographical characteristics of contemporary international migration in and into Europe

The study offers a short geographical overview of migration studies and theories, doing so in the context of the European migration crisis of 2015–2016. It outlines the history of international migrations affecting Europe (immigration, emigration, migration within Europe and between countries) and the demographic effects of such migration on the present European population. It then analyses and examines the global and regional causes of recent migration to Europe (the European Economic Area, EEA), the countries of origin of the migrants, the main routes of migration, and the destination areas in Europe. As far as intercontinental migration is concerned, Europe was characterised by emigration between the 16th and mid-20th centuries (partly in consequence of colonisation) and mainly by immigration thereafter. Immigration has principally affected Western Europe, the more developed part of the continent. In consequence of post-World War II reconstruction, dynamic economic development, local labour shortages, and the decolonisation process, Western Europe received many migrants, initially from the Mediterranean region and subsequently (i.e. after the collapse of communism in 1989–1990) from the post communist European countries. Meanwhile, the core areas of the EEA became the main destination for migrants coming from predominantly Muslim regions in Asia and Africa (SW Asia, Muslim Africa). This decades-old process has recently accelerated and now constitutes mass migration. The global and regional causes of such intercontinental migration in the sending areas are as follows: the population boom, economic backwardness, unemployment, growing poverty, climate change, desertification, negative ecological changes, global political rivalries and local power changes (e.g. the Arab Spring, 2011), growing political instability, wartime destruction, multiple and cumulative crises, general hopelessness and despair.

The Continued Relevance of Return Migration in Contemporary International Migration

The Continued Relevance of Return Migration in Contemporary International Migration

International Migration, Agency and Regional Development in Rural Europe

International migration to rural areas has become an increasingly important process in Europe, with the potential to act as a key driver of change in the localities concerned. Research has started to document patterns of international migration and the experiences of migrants, but this emergent body of literature is partial and fragmented between regionalscale studies focused on specific types of migration. This paper aims to construct a more holistic perspective by drawing on evidence from three research projects that collectively have examined multiple dimensions of migration in several case study regions across Europe. It distils overarching characteristics of contemporary international migration to rural areas that emphasize the complexity of migration processes and impacts and which challenge established perceptions of migration in rural areas. It then proceeds to focus on the impact of international migration for recipient localities and in particular considers the potential contribution of international migration to regional development.

Migraciones latinoamericanas: Procesos e identidades: el caso uruguayo en Argentina

Contemporary international migrations are limited to the consolidation of global economy, political structuring of societies and ethnicities generation. On the basis of this broad consensus, the research focuses on the economic, political or ethnic groups involved. In this article we analyze the particularity of these processes taking into account the characteristics of immigration in Argentina border. Our emphasis is on the uruguayan immigration process lived in that country, according to their demographics and their associations aspects. With respect to the latter, we consider their general characteristics and the criteria which often conduct the different groupings.

Writing Through Bureaucracy

Contemporary international migration produces a great deal of bureaucratic writing activity. This article reports on a study of one bureaucratic literacy practice—correspondence—of 25 international migrants in the United States. Contextual and practice-based analysis of data collected through literacy history interviews shows that (a) by virtue of living transnational lives, migrant writers develop correspondence practices that seem vernacular, but in fact take on the hegemonic qualities of modern bureaucracy, and (b) when composing everyday correspondence, migrant writers, rather than being subject to bureaucracy’s whims, take up bureaucratic roles that allow them to manage their own and others’ economic and geographic mobility. These findings complicate claims that migrant correspondence simply maintains relationships or fosters cultural cohesion. Migrant writers, while often corresponding to keep in touch with family and friends elsewhere, also adopt the practices of bureaucracy, becoming participants in the management of people on the move.

Ethnic Concentration and Human Capital Formation

Concentration of immigrants and its associated externalities have become an important topic in contemporary international migration research, both from a methodological as well as an empirical perspective. The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, it aims to provide an overview of that part of the migration literature that is concerned with the externalities created by the influx of immigrants. Second, it presents a stylized model in which human capital accumulation and ethnic cluster formation are explicitly incorporated. The model shows that lock-in effects can result from heterogeneous human capital and spillover effects on different spatial levels. Extensions of the model are discussed, together with their possible impacts on the spatial variation of the evolution of human capital stocks.

The notion of secularization: Drawing the boundaries of its contemporary scientific validity

The notion of secularization as an incompatibility between modernization and religion derives from the analysis of the process of modernization of Western European societies. This process led to a weight loss of religion in society and to a progressive differentiation of social spheres, such as religion, politics, science, etc. Following on from this analysis the category and the theory were extended to take on a universal scope in order to describe the modernization processes that would occur in other societies. From the very beginning, sociology has provided exceptions to the rule of secularization. The first was noted by de Tocqueville: American exceptionalism. Then came the processes of rapid economic growth of some Asian Pacific countries (Japan, Korea, Singapore, etc.). Progressively, the entry of new countries into the field of interest of sociologists is showing the Eurocentric nature of the concept. The case of Western Europe, which was the rule, became the exception. Even the notion of religion as a separate social sphere is considered by some social scientists to be ethnocentric. Despite its previous Eurocentrism, the notion of secularization remains useful for sociologists. It has served to account for European religious change, and its analytical instruments can be applied to other cases and may be useful for interpreting these cases either with regard to how they adhere to the Western European model, or how they differ from it – still further, if we consider the huge extent of contemporary international migration. If sociologists want to understand the new Western European societies, they must reapply this analytical rather than predictive version of the concept.

Peculiarities of international labour migration from China to Russia (on the example of the far East federal district)

In the paper, the dynamics of contemporary international migration, which strength the role of the Asia-Pacific region’s (including China) are shown. The author assessed the current status and possible scenarios of migration flows from China to Russia. On the example of the Jewish Autonomous Region, it is shown that the fluctuating scenario is to be accepted as the most possible. In the article, the dynamics of international labor migration in the southern Russian Far East subjects due to the distinct character of the cross-border position the Russian Far East and North-Eastern provinces of China are analyzed in depth. The author assessed the perception of international migration by the population of southern Russian Far East subjects on the content base analysis. It is emphasized that the continued involvement of labor immigrants has led to a decrease in the professional level of the population of the Russian regions, which is reflected at the background of the declining interest of Chinese migrants to work in the territory of Russia.

Justicia global y el gobierno de las migraciones internacionales

This paper discusses the convenience of incorporating the discourse of contemporary international migration processes in a larger conceptual framework dominated by the key concept of global justice. In this way, the methodological nationalism that afflicts the most common theoretical and practical approaches on that subject and impedes properly tackling the complexity of such social processes could be overcome. Their governance implies relevant modifications on the institutional and normative level as well as on the level of global economic politics.