Migrant Groups Research Articles

Does age matter? The well-being of migrant children in comparative perspective

This article explores the subjective perceptions of well-being of migrant children attending primary school (9-14 years) and secondary school (15-18 years) in Slovenia. It focuses on how they conceptualise their fears, worries and concerns, what is important for them to feel accepted and safe, and how they think about their past and the future. Using a comparative perspective, similarities and differences in the experience of well-being of these two age groups of migrants are explored. The analysis is based on open-ended narrative interviews with migrant children and revolves around the question of whether and how age influences their subjective perception of well-being. The article sheds light on age-specific meanings and understandings of migration processes based on the views and experiences of migrant children and youth regarding their well-being, bringing to the fore the perspectives of children that are often missing or underrepresented in integration policy.

The relation between contact experiences and dual identity among German residents with a Turkish or Kurdish identity

AbstractWe present secondary analyses of data collected with German residents with Turkish and Kurdish ancestry (n = 414), who represent the largest migrant groups in Germany. The majority of our sample of mostly second‐generation migrants exhibited integrated identity profiles, with high levels of both ethnic (Turkish or Kurdish) and national (German) identification. National and ethnic identification were unrelated, and both were predicted by the frequency and quality of contact with members of the respective groups as well as the extent to which participants report daily discrimination experiences. We additionally adopted a regional bias approach (Calanchini et al., 2022), inserting regional‐level data as indicators of context variance of contact opportunity and local aggregates of racialized group attitudes into analyses. Results document that the varying level of contact opportunity did not predict individual contact experiences and social identity, whereas the local attitude aggregate predicted individual contact experiences and participants' reports of daily discrimination, which, in turn, related to both ethnic and national identifications. These results indicate the relevance of social and contextual variables on the formation and navigation of multiple identities, which has theoretical and practical implications for the current societal and political debates about migration and integration.

Economic and labour market impacts of migration in Austria: an agent-based modelling approach

This study examines the potential economic and labour market impacts of a hypothetical but plausible migration scenario of 250,000 new migrants inspired by Austria’s experience in 2015. Using the agent-based macroeconomic model developed by Poledna et al. (Eur Econ Rev, 151:104306, 2023. 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2022.104306, the study explores the detailed labour market outcomes for different groups in Austria’s population and the macroeconomic effects of the migration scenario. The analysis suggests that Austria’s economy and labour market have the potential to be resilient to the simulated migration influx. The results indicate a positive impact on GDP due to increased aggregate consumption and investment. The labour market experiences an increase in the unemployment rates of natives and previous migrants. In some industries, the increase in the unemployment rates is more significant, potentially indicating competition among different groups of migrants. This research provides insights for policymakers and stakeholders in Austria and other countries that may face the challenge of managing large-scale migration in the near future.

Risk-based approach in external migration public management

The presence of risks emergence problem of socio-political conflict, threats to the preservation of Russian identity in the process of including foreign cultural groups of international migrants in Russian society is a consequence of public administration insufficient efficiency when implementing state migration and national policy. Applying the structural-functional method, the authors study public administration in the external migration sphere for compliance with its essential characteristics. The predominant focus of state management in the migration sphere on ensuring the human resources component of the Russian labor market, as well as on control over migration flows is combined with the state management model shortcomings in the sphere of migrants’ inclusion in the host community. External migration state management should be aimed at solving the socio-economic development problems in Russia and ensuring national security and at the same time should minimize potential risks of social and cultural nature. The authors propose a risk-oriented approach in the migration processes state management, based on a comprehensive consideration of tensions that arise both in the labor market of foreign workers and the foreigners’ inclusion in the Russian society. In order to implement the proposed method, it is advisable to define a single subject of state management, which will be able to exercise authority considering the migration process integrity.

Intergenerational Contact in Refugee Settlement Contexts: Results from a Systematic Mapping Review and Analysis

The purpose of this article is to map research literature on intergenerational contact in refugee and international migration contexts. Using database searches on Scopus, Medline, CINAHL, PsycInfo and Education Research Complete, we identified 649 potentially relevant studies, of which 134 met the inclusion criteria and are mapped in the article by themes, date of publication, geographical distribution, study design, and targeted population. The review has been developed with input from migrant and refugee charities, and it identifies research trends in the field as well as multiple gaps in the literature. The results highlight the complex ways in which intergenerational contact impacts psycho-social wellbeing and integration, health, and education outcomes for both refugees and other migrant groups. Much of the research to date has focused on relationships within families. Studies exploring the potential tensions and benefits of intergenerational contact between refugees/migrants and members of the broader community are lacking.

‘You, me, we’: shared identities of African professional footballers’ diaspora in Thailand

ABSTRACT African footballers comprise a significant group of sport migrants, who face structural challenges set-forth by specific visa requirements which have made entry into Thailand more challenging. Using data collected through in-depth interviews with five African players who have lived, played, and settled down in Thailand for over a decade, the article explores the acculturation journeys of African football players in Thailand and investigates how forms of identities are created and upheld. The paper concludes that various coping strategies are consistently deployed by the players in their attempt to integrate into Thai society. Additionally, emotional attachments to homelands are expressed and heightened during events such as the World Cup. Findings suggest that among the diasporic community, identities are multi-layered, inclusive of local, regional, national and global attachments which are unveiled and more sharply defined when the individual is ‘confronted with “outsiders”’.

Examining the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Iraqi Refugees in Canada.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health and social inequities among migrant groups more than others. Higher rates of poverty, unemployment, living in crowded households, and language barriers have placed resettled refugees at a higher risk of facing disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic. To understand how this most vulnerable population has been impacted by the ongoing pandemic, this study reports on the responses of 128 Iraqi refugees in the city of London, Ontario, to a survey on the economic, social, and health-related impacts that they have faced for almost two years since the beginning the pandemic. The analysis of the survey indicated that 90.4% of the study population reported having health concerns during the pandemic while 80.3% expressed facing financial distress. The results also show that 58.4% of respondents experienced some form of social isolation. These all suggest that refugees are faced with several barriers which can have a compounding effect on their resettlement experience. These findings provide resettlement and healthcare providers with some information that may assist in reducing the impact of COVID-19 and other possible health security emergencies on resettled refugees and their communities.

Size and ethnic homogeneity of extended social networks in the Netherlands: Differences between migrant groups and migrant generations

AbstractExtended social networks encompass both weak and strong ties to provide social support and resources. Hence, it is important to study what explains variation in these networks. This paper addresses this and examines the size and ethnic homogeneity of extended social networks, and group differences therein, and it aims to explain these differences based on a preference–opportunities approach through a decomposition analysis. We apply state‐of‐the‐art NSUM methods to measure the extended networks for different ethnic‐majority and minoritized groups, also considering migrant generation differences, in the Netherlands. Results show that group differences in network size reflect first‐generation minority citizens having smaller networks and majority citizens having more ethnically homogeneous networks. More positive out‐group attitudes among the Moroccan– and Turkish–Dutch partly explain why these groups have less homogeneous networks than Dutch majority members. Differences in the ethnic composition of neighbourhoods also contribute to explaining the homogeneity gap between Dutch majority and Turkish‐Dutch.

Rethinking the nexus between urban amenities and migrants’ hukou transfer intentions in China: the role of the hukou value

ABSTRACT The household registration (hukou) system differentiates China from Western countries regarding restrictions on internal migration, the allocation of public resources, and the country’s urbanization and development patterns. Although studies have investigated the influence of urban amenities on China’s internal migration, limited attention has been given to clarifying the intricate role of hukou values behind these amenities. The research revisits the influence of amenities on migrants’ hukou transfer intentions with an analytical framework dividing amenities into two categories, those related to hukou and those unrelated, and incorporating the role of the hukou value of the city. Econometric results indicate a significant influence of amenities related to hukou (basic education, health care) and those unrelated (urban consumption, temperature, cultural inclusion, transportation facilities). It also reveals a moderating effect of hukou value, reflected in the strengthened influence of hukou-related amenities, while such an effect is less apparent for amenities unrelated to hukou. Compared to amenities unrelated to hukou, hukou-related amenities mainly have indirect effects moderated by hukou value but less direct influence. Heterogeneity analysis of skilled and less-skilled migrant groups and robustness checks are also conducted. Our findings provide policy implications for China to deepen the future hukou reform.

The Vietnamese Market in a Post-Soviet City: History, Social Boundaries, and Infrastructure (A Case Study of Magnitogorsk)

The phenomenon of ethnic markets, most often Chinese, in Russian cities has been long studied, but the mechanisms behind the formation of similar markets characterized by the ethnicity of other migrant groups such as the Vietnamese, remain unclear. Taking Magnitogorsk as an example, this article seeks to answer the following questions: how does a “Vietnamese” market emerge, what meanings do city residents attribute to this construct, and what role does it play in the everyday life of various migrant groups. The source base includes results from fieldwork in Magnitogorsk, archival documents, and both electronic and print media. The methodological framework of the manuscript encompasses analytical sociology, mobility theory, and the concept of the right to the city. It was established that the Vietnamese market does indeed exist in the minds of Magnitogorsk residents; however, it quickly evolved as the focus of the host community shifted to migrants from Tajikistan. The presence of the latter served as a basis for redefining the boundaries of “our” and “foreign” locations, with visitors from Vietnam becoming merely an addition to the general structure of interactions between “locals” and “migrants”. The infrastructure of Vietnamese “guests” is as concealed as possible, which is caused by their role as a minority subjected to various discriminatory practices. The hypothesis is that the market, labeled by the townspeople as Vietnamese, and its location, became the organizational foundation for the development of the social infrastructure of other migrant groups, primarily the immigrants from Tajikistan.

Minority, collectivity, and the short story cycle. Identity and difference in Chika Unigwe’s Better Never Than Late

This essay expands the politics of minor literature that, in the influential work of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, rests on the identification between the individual and the collective, by drawing on the affordances of the genre of the short story cycle. While highlighting the relational dynamics between the minor and the major that underlies Deleuze and Guattari's account, I show how a focus on genre offers the critical tools to articulate the enclosure of community with the pluralities of subjective belonging. The short story (cycle) has often been considered to have close affinities with minor literature due to its fairly low reputation, its interest in marginal characters, and its typical narratives of community. The essay complicates this equation through a discussion of Chika Unigwe’s Better Never Than Late (2019), a series of interconnected stories illuminating the shared struggles of a group of Nigerian migrants in Belgium. While the cycle as a whole conveys a sense of belonging in which linguistic difference provides the very ground of group formation, the individual stories reveal the gaps within the collective and illustrate the ways in which identity and migration are affected by divergent intersectional subject positions marked by class and gender. By examining how political and aesthetic concerns go hand in hand in Unigwe’s short story cycle, the essay argues that minorities’ political struggles for emancipation do not necessarily require internal cohesion, but can also be enhanced through social diversification and multiple literary practices that shift with new contexts of linguistic production and global circulation.

Spatial Appropriations Over Europe’s Borderland: El Principe’s Growth as a Vestige of Colonial Urbanism

My work investigates the spatial transformations generated by conflicting competencies in the border city of Ceuta, a Spanish exclave on the northernmost tip of Morocco. Due to its strategic location, Ceuta became the gateway to the Spanish Protectorate over Morocco. Its implemented masterplan was rooted in the colonial urbanizing strategy of social segregation; yet failed to encompass the entirety of the territory, rendering the border area a site for informal urban settlements. Spain’s 1986 accession to the EU granted the exclave a new role as an icon of Fortress Europe, hindering migration movements toward mainland Europe and, due to the municipality’s neglect of the multifarious stranded migrant groups, settlements ballooned into districts along the border checkpoints. This article investigates the spatial conflicts generated by the border and how these, in turn, shape the borderland. It examines how supra-national actors manipulate urban planning to establish dominance, ostracizing the border region, and studies whether migrants’ spatial practices can effectively disrupt their socio-spatial segregation. Focusing on the border district of El Principe, a twofold methodology is followed: A top-down perspective is built through mapping, examining historical masterplans, policy analysis, and interviews, and a bottom-up stance is included, grounded on participant observation and semi-structured interviews, revealing migrants’ spatial appropriation tactics.

Type 2 diabetes risk after gestational diabetes according to country/region of origin. A nationwide register-based study.

The risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) differs between the Danish population and several migrant groups. However, it is unclear if the incidence and timing of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) following GDM vary similarly. To investigate the incidence of T2DM according to migration background based on country/region of origin among women with a previous GDM diagnosis and explore the role of time since GDM diagnosis on the association. Using nationwide registry data, we followed women diagnosed with GDM in Denmark during 2004-2018 to Dec 31, 2020. Poisson regression models were used to estimate incidence rates (IRs) of T2DM according to country/region of origin, adjusted for age, education, and body mass index. The study included 20,873 women with a GDM diagnosis, of whom 22.3% were of migrant background and 77.7% were Danish. The mean follow-up time was 7.3 years, and 10.9% were registered with T2DM during the study period. Generally, migrant women had higher IRs of T2DM compared to Danish women, with substantial variations in risk between migrant groups. Women from Pakistan and Sri Lanka had three-four times higher IRs compared to Danish women. The timing of T2DM onset also varied, with women from Sri Lanka and Pakistan having an earlier onset of T2DM compared to other migrant and Danish women. This study demonstrated that country/region of origin is an important risk factor for T2DM in women with GDM. These findings underscore the importance of prevention programs targeting women with GDM and a high-risk origin.

Formy pomocy uchodźcom udzielanej na terenie Rzeczpospolitej Polskiej

Forms of assistance for refugees in Poland The presented article contains information on assistance activities for refugees. The situation after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 made Poles help refugees. There have been so many refugees in Poland since the end of World War II. The information presents assistance activities implemented by the state, non-governmental organizations and citizens of Poland. The aim of this study is to determine the role of the implemented forms of assistance in Poland in the process of supporting refugees. The purposes of the article used the method of document examination and the method of own observation, which allowed the formulation of certain conclusions. First, refugees do not have sufficient access to care and education facilities for their children. Secondly, the group of migrants from Ukraine does not have adequate medical facilities and permanent psychological support. Thirdly, the important issue is the insufficient financing of assistance activities for Polish citizens who actively engaged in helping another person, all forms of support provided by them were paid from their own household budget.

The influence of Central Asian migration on the Islamic space of cities in the Urals (the cases of Chelyabinsk, Magnitogorsk, and Troitsk)

The article focuses on the influence of Central Asian migration on the Islamic space of the cities of the Urals (Chelyabinsk, Magnitogorsk, and Troitsk). The study is drawn on interviews and ethnographic fieldwork. The concept of the right to the city is used as a theoretical and methodological framework. This research lens helped describe social relations around symbolic power over urban space. I argue that migrants create social infrastructure to satisfy their religious needs (mosques, houses of worship, halal cafes, Islamic fashion shops). Muslim migrants acquire experience in organizational activities and accumulate various resources for the formation and development of religious infrastructure in the cities of the Urals. This infrastructure makes it possible to meet the social and spiritual needs of various migrant groups.

The prevalence of food insecurity amongst refugees and asylum seekers during, and prior to, their early resettlement period in Australia: A cross-sectional analysis of the ‘Building a New Life in Australia’ data

With over 100 million humanitarian migrants globally, there is increasing pressure on high-income countries to offer resettlement opportunities. Humanitarian migrants face many challenges during pre-settlement and resettlement. One challenge is food insecurity (FI). The Building a New Life in Australia (BNLA) longitudinal cohort study gathered data from migrating units, that is, a group of humanitarian migrants included on the same visa application (n = 1599). Data were gathered in five annual waves (2013–2018). Data included food security status in four pre-settlement situations and during resettlement. The results of this secondary analysis of BNLA Wave One indicate that FI was highest in refugee camps (71%), followed by bridging visas (30%), community detention (17%), immigration detention (11%), and during early resettlement (9%). During early resettlement, respondents who were male, those from Afghanistan or Iran, and those living in a single person household reported the highest prevalence of FI. An association was found between having spent time on a bridging visa and FI during early resettlement (p < 0.01). This study's results are an important step in understanding the scale of FI and which sub-groups are most vulnerable, so the resources and policies of high-income countries can better meet food security needs during resettlement.

Hopefully a Good Life: Cosmopolitan Chinese Migrant Families in Urban Italy

Chinese residents have grown to be one of the most prosperous migrant groups in Italy since their mass migration from China in the 1980s. Alongside their rapid upward economic mobility, parents and children within the same families have shown generational differences in their understandings of the good life. While older generations believed that the good life means economic mobility, which is achieved through their labour and migration, younger generations’ definition of the good life, rooted in their negative experiences of racialization, is associated with social recognition. Such generational differences stem from the shifting tensions between the contested racial and national orders in association with Italy’s economic stagnation and China’s global ascendancy. Yet, both generations of these desiring subjects have manifested their own conceptions of cosmopolitan Chinese-ness to survive precarity and to aspire to a better life both economically and socially. Their family stories thus contribute to anthropological debates on how people envision their futures between hope and precarity, expectation and uncertainty, and privilege and disadvantages amid racialized class terrains, generational tensions, and geopolitical transformation of the world order.

Barriers and drivers to COVID-19 vaccination among the migrant and non-migrant population in Germany, 2021

Abstract Background During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, immunization programmes struggled to reach all population groups equally. While migrant groups face multiple barriers to health systems, including vaccination, little is known about their vaccine uptake. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey on adults with and without migration history in Germany to investigate barriers and drivers to COVID-19 vaccination (11 April 2021 to 18 December 2021). Interviews were conducted in six languages. We used logistic regression models and a mediation model to analyze the association between migration history and vaccine uptake. Furthermore, we determined the effect of psychological determinants (5C model) on vaccine uptake. Results The survey comprised 2039 individuals, including 1015 with migration history. Of these, 448 were interviews conducted in languages other than German. Individuals with migration history had a significantly lower vaccine uptake but, while still unvaccinated, had a higher intention to get vaccinated (P = 0.015) compared with those without migration history. The association between migration history and vaccine uptake was no longer significant when other factors were included in the regression model (odds ratio = 0.9; 95% confidence interval: 0.57–1.47). Socio-economic index, language skills and discrimination experience fully mediated this association. Among the psychological determinants, ‘higher confidence’ and ‘higher collective responsibility’ increased the chance of individuals with migration history to be vaccinated. Conclusion Migration history alone cannot explain vaccine uptake; socio-economic index, language skills and discrimination experiences need to be considered. To achieve vaccine equity, future public health policy should aim to reduce relevant barriers through tailored interventions.

Diversity in Spanish Politics? Dynamics of Descriptive Representation of Immigrant‐Origin Minorities in Local Elections

Research has identified an alarming gap in migrants’ descriptive representation across Western European countries with long-standing immigration while showing that not all migrant groups are equally (un)successful in gaining elected office. However, little is known about migrants’ political presence in Southern European countries, which have experienced increased immigration in recent decades. We address this research gap for Spain by focusing on the municipal level where minorities’ inclusion remains of utmost importance. Conceptually, the article tackles the question of how the interplay between migrants’ demographic concentration and specific party features shapes the outcomes of minority descriptive representation. Empirically, we bring novel evidence from an original survey with local party organizations across municipalities returning high shares of Romanian, Moroccan, Latin American, and EU14 migrants. We first demonstrate that, despite being particularly sizeable, all groups remain under-represented in Spanish local politics, although with important differences. At comparable levels of demographic concentration, EU14 and Latin American migrants are almost three times more likely than Romanian migrants and up to seven times more likely than Moroccan migrants to be fielded as candidates. EU14 candidates are also more successful in securing office. Second, our findings confirm that party features shape the contours of minority inclusion: Spanish left-wing and new parties present more diverse local candidacies and place minority office-seekers in safer electoral list positions than right-wing and established parties.

Socio-Cultural Dynamics of Cross-Border Labour Migration between Nepal and India

The enduring relationship between Nepal and India is the focus of this study, which delves into the social and cultural dynamics adopted by Nepali and Indian labour migrants in their respective destinations. The study extends to the examination of labour migrants' social backgrounds, encompassing aspects such as religion, caste, ethnicity, education, and family structure. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study incorporates case studies supported by field observations in the destination countries. The gathered data undergoes analysis through descriptive statistics, allowing for a comparative assessment between the two migrant groups. While the socio-cultural status of both groups exhibits slight differences, disparities in caste and ethnicity indicators are noted between Nepal and India. Notably, a significant proportion of Nepali labour migrants hail from Dalit communities when compared to other caste and ethnic groups. In contrast, Indian labour migrants, predominantly from the Other Backward Class (OBC), exhibit a different trend. The volume of Nepali labour migrants heading to India surpasses that of Indian labour migrants to Nepal. The shorter migration distance for Indian labour migrants enables frequent visits to their place of origin, facilitating the celebration of local traditions and culture. In contrast, Nepali labour migrants encounter fewer opportunities to return to their destination regularly. A noteworthy observation is the comparatively higher educational status of Nepali labour migrants as opposed to their Indian counterparts heading to Nepal. The nuanced differences between the two migrant groups correlate with their religious affiliations and socio-economic backgrounds. Interestingly, both groups exhibit a limited number of enrolled children in destination schools, indicating a shared challenge in accessing education opportunities.