International Mobility Patterns Research Articles

Immobile, stranded and excluded: the effects of COVID-19 on the international asylum system

Disruptions to patterns of international mobility caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have affected refugees particularly severely. This article analyses the impact of the health crisis on international protection, particularly its effects on specific phases of the process: access to the territory, access to the procedure, and reception and its conditions. Using comparative analysis that incorporates the dynamics observed in different geographies, the article takes an in-depth look at the pandemic’s effects on the consolidation of a new international asylum system whose roots lie in transformations observed since the 1990s. It argues that the pandemic has accelerated certain trends that are symptomatic of an even more exclusionary and restrictive turn in the global system of so-called protection.

Structural Embeddedness in Transnational Social Fields: Personal Networks, International (Im)Mobilities, and the Migratory Capital Paradox

In this article we focus on individuals’ structural embeddedness in transnational social fields (TSFs) and examine how this is related to patterns of international mobility. The main argument is that the structure of TSFs matters for (im)mobility trajectories, and thus all actors (migrants, non‐migrants, and returnees) need to be examined as a whole to obtain a deeper understanding of the role of social networks in processes of transnational mobility. Taking the case of Romanian migrants in Spain as a TSF connecting their place of origin (Dâmbovița in Romania) with their destination (Castelló in Spain), we analyze survey data for 303 migrants, non‐migrants, and returnees, sampled through an RDS‐like binational link‐tracing design. We then categorize types of personal network using an international mobility scale to assess the degree of structural embeddedness in the TSF. An important contribution is the rigorous operationalization of TSF and assessment of the level of migratory capital of each individual. Our results reveal that migratory capital is not always linked positively with high mobility patterns and that its role is strongly related to the overall composition and structure of the TSF.

Practical geospatial and sociodemographic predictors of human mobility

Understanding seasonal human mobility at subnational scales has important implications across sciences, from urban planning efforts to disease modelling and control. Assessing how, when, and where populations move over the course of the year, however, requires spatially and temporally resolved datasets spanning large periods of time, which can be rare, contain sensitive information, or may be proprietary. Here, we aim to explore how a set of broadly available covariates can describe typical seasonal subnational mobility in Kenya pre-COVID-19, therefore enabling better modelling of seasonal mobility across low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings in non-pandemic settings. To do this, we used the Google Aggregated Mobility Research Dataset, containing anonymized mobility flows aggregated over users who have turned on the Location History setting, which is off by default. We combined this with socioeconomic and geospatial covariates from 2018 to 2019 to quantify seasonal changes in domestic and international mobility patterns across years. We undertook a spatiotemporal analysis within a Bayesian framework to identify relevant geospatial and socioeconomic covariates explaining human movement patterns, while accounting for spatial and temporal autocorrelations. Typical pre-pandemic mobility patterns in Kenya mostly consisted of shorter, within-county trips, followed by longer domestic travel between counties and international travel, which is important in establishing how mobility patterns changed post-pandemic. Mobility peaked in August and December, closely corresponding to school holiday seasons, which was found to be an important predictor in our model. We further found that socioeconomic variables including urbanicity, poverty, and female education strongly explained mobility patterns, in addition to geospatial covariates such as accessibility to major population centres and temperature. These findings derived from novel data sources elucidate broad spatiotemporal patterns of how populations move within and beyond Kenya, and can be easily generalized to other LMIC settings before the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding such pre-pandemic mobility patterns provides a crucial baseline to interpret both how these patterns have changed as a result of the pandemic, as well as whether human mobility patterns have been permanently altered once the pandemic subsides. Our findings outline key correlates of mobility using broadly available covariates, alleviating the data bottlenecks of highly sensitive and proprietary mobile phone datasets, which many researchers do not have access to. These results further provide novel insight on monitoring mobility proxies in the context of disease surveillance and control efforts through LMIC settings.

The Impact of the Covid‐19 Pandemic on Firms’ Organizational Designs

The Impact of the Covid‐19 Pandemic on Firms’ Organizational Designs

Quantifying international human mobility patterns using Facebook Network data.

Quantifying global international mobility patterns can improve migration governance. Despite decades of calls by the international community to improve international migration statistics, the availability of timely and disaggregated data about long-term and short-term migration at the global level is still very limited. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using non-traditional data sources to fill existing gaps in migration statistics. To this end, we use anonymised and publicly available data provided by Facebook’s advertising platform. Facebook’s advertising platform classifies its users as “lived in country X” if they previously lived in country X, and now live in a different country. Drawing on statistics about Facebook Network users (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Audience Network) who have lived abroad and applying a sample bias correction method, we estimate the number of Facebook Network (FN) “migrants” in 119 countries of residence and in two time periods by age, gender, and country of previous residence. The correction method estimates the probability of a person being a FN user based on age, sex, and country of current and previous residence. We further estimate the correlation between FN-derived migration estimates and reference official migration statistics. By comparing FN-derived migration estimates in two different time periods, January-February and August-September 2018, we successfully capture the increase in Venezuelan migrants in Colombia and Spain in 2018. FN-derived migration estimates cannot replace official migration statistics, as they are not representative, and the exact methods the FN uses for classifying its users are not known, and might change over time. However, after carefully assessing the validity of the FN-derived estimates by comparing them with data from reliable sources, we conclude that these estimates can be used for trend analysis and early-warning purposes.

Ritual Spaces and Burial Places

The migration of Romanian Korturare is analyzed with a focus on the transformation of three aspects of their funerary practices: place of burial, multi-sited funeral celebrations, and the use of communication technologies. This ‘mortuary focus’, which has not previously been applied to studies of international Romani migration, provides a better understanding of the interaction between territorial attachment and international mobility patterns. Observations based on ethnographic fieldwork are complemented by an analysis of social media use, audiovisual materials and a sample of 69 deaths. Localities of origin continue to be the preferred place for burial and collective memorialization, while funerals become multi-sited, involving both host towns and hometowns. The mediatization of death practices reinforces both of these tendencies. The transformation reflects the role of Korturare social organization in the migration process. The broad and densely nested family networks of the Korturare keep the possibility of multidirectional migration open and act as an adaptive resource by reproducing community life abroad. At the same time, they preserve the localities of origin as the common and privileged territory of the symbolic reproduction of family ties.

Infectious disease implications of large-scale migration of Venezuelan nationals.

BackgroundThe ongoing economic and political crisis in Venezuela has resulted in a collapse of the healthcare system and the re-emergence of previously controlled or eliminated infectious diseases. There has also been an exodus of Venezuelan international migrants in response to the crisis. We sought to describe the infectious disease risks faced by Venezuelan nationals and assess the international mobility patterns of the migrant population.MethodsWe synthesized data on recent infectious disease events in Venezuela and among international migrants from Venezuela, as well as on current country of residence among the migrant population. We used passenger-level itinerary data from the International Air Transport Association to evaluate trends in outbound air travel from Venezuela over time. We used two parameter-free mobility models, the radiation and impedance models, to estimate the expected population flows from Venezuelan cities to other major Latin American and Caribbean cities.ResultsOutbreaks of measles, diphtheria and malaria have been reported across Venezuela and other diseases, such as HIV and tuberculosis, are resurgent. Changes in migration in response to the crisis are apparent, with an increase in Venezuelan nationals living abroad, despite an overall decline in the number of outbound air passengers. The two models predicted different mobility patterns, but both highlighted the importance of Colombian cities as destinations for migrants and also showed that some migrants are expected to travel large distances. Despite the large distances that migrants may travel internationally, outbreaks associated with Venezuelan migrants have occurred primarily in countries proximate to Venezuela.ConclusionsUnderstanding where international migrants are relocating is critical, given the association between human mobility and the spread of infectious diseases. In data-limited situations, simple models can be useful for providing insights into population mobility and may help identify areas likely to receive a large number of migrants.

Children and youth in the context of international mobility patterns in Mexico

In recent decades the patterns of international mobility in Mexico have consolidated. Emigration to the United States, the growing presence of women and children in the flow and the loss of circularity persist. At the same time, new patterns have emerged. There is evidence of a significantly large new flow of Mexicans and children of Mexicans born in US entering the country after having lived abroad. Within these heterogeneous patterns of mobility, we explore the extent to which minors in Mexico are exposed to international mobility either through their own migration experience or that of their parents or other relatives. In addition, we explore whether the educational and labor trajectories of adolescents vary depending on their exposure to international migration. Using information from the ten percent sample of the 2010 Mexican Census, we analyze the sociodemographic and geographic characteristics of these children. We also consider how family arrangements, especially co-residence of children with parents, mediate the effects of international migration on the children’s well-being. Our results suggest international migration is linked to the absence of one (mainly the father) or both parents in all cases. In addition, enrollment in school and the labor status of children also vary depending on their exposure to international migration. For Mexican returnees and other immigrants, the probabilities of staying in school and out of work are notoriously lower. This relation is clearly mediated by the type of family arrangement.

Screening for tuberculosis in an urban shelter for homeless in Switzerland: a prospective study

BackgroundWhereas high risk groups such as asylum seekers are systematically screened for active tuberculosis (TB) upon entry in Switzerland, this strategy does not apply to homeless persons despite a reported high risk. Geneva health and social authorities implemented an intersectoral project to screen for active TB in homeless persons. We aimed to assess acceptability of this program and prevalence of active TB in this group.MethodsThis prospective study targeted all homeless adults registering for shelter accommodation in Geneva during winter 2015. Applicants were proposed a questionnaire-based screening (www.tb-screen.ch) exploring epidemiological and clinical risk factors for active TB. Participants with a positive score underwent diagnostic procedures at Geneva University Hospital. Enhanced TB surveillance targeting homeless persons in the community was continued 3 months after the study termination.ResultsOverall, 726/832 (87.3%) homeless persons accepted the screening procedure. Most were young male migrants without access to care in Switzerland. Male gender (adjusted OR: 2.14; 95% confidence interval: 1.27–3.62), age below 25 years (aOR: 4.16; 95% CI: 1.27–13.64) and short duration of homelessness (aOR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.06–2.87) were predictors of acceptance. Thirty (4.1%) had positive screening scores but none of the 24 who underwent further testing had active TB. Post-study surveillance did not identify any incident case in Geneva.ConclusionsActive TB screening targeting highly mobile homeless persons in shelters was well accepted and feasible. The participants’ sociodemographic profile highlighted the heterogeneity of homeless groups in Europe and the null TB prevalence the variability of their active TB risks. These findings underline the feasibility of health programs targeting this hard to reach group and the need for close monitoring of this social group considering the rapid changes in international mobility patterns to tailor preventive and screening strategies to the local context.

Accounting for variations in the patterns of mobility among conventional and self-initiated expatriates

Mobility is a central leitmotif in the literature on international assignments and global careers, yet the work of analysing and explaining mobility patterns and their consequences remains challenging, especially for different expatriate types and cohorts. In this study, we distinguish multiple mobility root trajectories, namely work-related mobility, non-work-related experiences, early international exposure, inter-company or inter-industry movements and cultural proximity or distance between the home and host location of the expatriate, in order to analyse the patterns of mobility among a cohort of self-initiated expatriates (SEs) and conventional expatriates (CEs). Data obtained from 344 SEs and 74 CEs working in the banking sector in Saudi Arabia were used to analyse how the two cohorts differ in terms of their international mobility patterns. Our results suggest that the two cohorts do vary in their international mobility patterns, especially relating to work and non-work-related mobility, early international exposure, cultural proximity/distance and inter-company and inter-industry movements.

La movilidad internacional de los estudiantes de educación superior brasileños para Portugal.

Este artículo es el resultado de un estudio que está todavía en desarrollo, el cual incluye la análisis de las fuentes secundarias de información y los datos do Proyecto THEMIS - Theorising the Evolution of European Migration Systems. Esto proporcionó algunas “pistas” de investigación que tienen como objetivo profundizar el conocimiento y la comprensión de los patrones de movilidad internacional de los estudiantes de educación superior brasileños en Portugal. Se pretende, por tanto, analizar los factores macro, meso y micro que puedan ser responsables por este tipo de movilidad, así como explicar la elección del país de destino y los planes para otros tipos de migración futura.

Доктора наук: индикаторы рынка труда и мобильности

Высококвалифицированные специалисты, обладающие учеными степенями, способны внести существенный вклад в развитие науки и инноваций, стимулируя прогресс общества в целом. Сведения об их карьере представляют интерес для ведомств, ответственных за разработку научно-технической политики, потенциальных работодателей и тех, кто стоит перед выбором будущей профессии - стать ученым либо заняться иной деятельностью. Тем не менее подобная информация крайне дефицитна, поскольку возможности традиционных статистических источников для ее продуцирования ограничены.На восполнение данного пробела направлен международный проект «Карьеры докторов наук» (Careers of Doctorate Holders, CDH) - совместная инициатива ОЭСР, Института статистики ЮНЕСКО и Евростата, реализуемая с 2004 г. В статье представлены некоторые результаты второго раунда этого проекта по итогам за 2010 г., анализируются рынок труда и структура занятости докторов наук. Особое внимание уделяется занятости в исследовательском секторе, а также межсекторальной и международной мобильности ученых.Исследование выявило, что в большинстве исследуемых стран доктора наук обладают определенными преимуществами на рынке труда в сравнении с другими высококвалифицированными специалистами, хотя женщинам и более молодым специалистам сложнее обрести стабильную занятость. Постдокторская стажировка практикуется в большей степени в сфере высшего образования, чем в бизнесе, и гораздо более длительная. Специалисты по естественным и техническим наукам в основном заняты исследованиями, тогда как представители общественных наук находят больше возможностей на ненаучных должностях. Заработки, за некоторыми исключениями, наиболее высоки в предпринимательском секторе.Модели трудовой мобильности заметно различаются по странам, это явление более распространено среди докторов, не занятых исследованиями. Часто мобильность из бизнес-сектора в образовательный оказывается интенсивнее, чем в обратном направлении. Неуклонно растет международная мобильность, хотя она менее характерна для исследователей, чем ожидалось.Степень привлекательности научной карьеры определяется комплексом материальных и нематериальных факторов. Удовлетворенность другими аспектами, помимо зарплаты, особенно значима для лиц, занятых исследованиями.Анализ микроданных поможет прояснить ситуацию с развитием карьеры докторов, позволит глубже изучить модели межсекторальной и международной мобильности с учетом специфики профессиональной деятельности, области знаний, возраста и пола специалиста, типа контракта, стажа работы в качестве исследователя, участия в сетевом взаимодействии и ряда других факторов.

Opportunity and incentive for becoming bilingual in Colombia: Implications for Programa Nacional de Bilingüismo

The Programa Nacional de Bilingüismo (PNB) seeks to promote English proficiency in Colombian society in order to position Colombia within world communication processes, a global economy, and an increasingly multicultural world. Using documentary and statistical data within a case study approach, we characterize the PNB as a case of acquisition planning and argue that some of the social conditions that bolster bilingualism are not sufficiently developed in the Colombian context. Specifically, we maintain that the number of jobs requiring bilingual workers in Colombia's labor market and the patterns of international mobility of Colombians provide little opportunity and incentive for developing bilingualism to the extent envisioned by the PNB.

Transnational Networks and Identifications of Australia's Diaspora in the USA

A contemporary global situation fuelling highly skilled, temporary and circular mobility and transnational migration experiences has led to increasing interest from origin countries in understanding emigration and diaspora. Little research about emigration and diaspora has been undertaken in high-income countries, therefore, there is limited data available to help understand these populations. Using data collected in an online survey of 1,581 Australians living in the USA, this paper explores the international mobility patterns and transnational networks and identifications kept by the Australian diaspora living in the USA. The Australian diaspora in the USA maintain transnational livelihoods with regular return visits to Australia, frequent long-distance communication and continued identification with Australia as ‘home’. These migrants also keep an open attitude towards future mobility; in the current global context, this is not restricted by distance. The paper concludes with the argument that the Australian diaspora should be seen as a distinct part of Australia's population and a potential resource for Australia.

Seek Knowledge Throughout the World? Mobility in Islamic Higher Education

While Southeast Asia as a region is generally poorly represented in scholarship on higher education, this is even more the case when considering Islamic higher education in the region. While patterns of mobility within the Islamic world are ancient, with mediaeval scholarly centres such as Baghdad, Cairo and Alexandria attracting scholars and students from many parts, scholarly mobility in Southeast Asia also has its own history. The earlier part of this article concentrates on the flowering of Islamic scholarly centres, with a particular focus on mobility. Subsequently, contemporary Islamic higher education in Southeast Asia, particularly in countries such as Malaysia, and Indonesia, is analyzed, focusing particularly on international mobility patterns, particularly of students. This includes both regionalism (students from Southeast Asia travelling to other countries within the region to pursue Islamic higher education), and efforts by countries such as Malaysia to recruit significant numbers of students from the Gulf states and Arab world, thereby reversing traditional paths of mobility.

International mobility of researchers in robotics, computer vision and electron devices: A quantitative and comparative analysis

We investigated author information in scientific articles by approximately 7,000 researchers for a quantitative analysis of researchers' international mobility. From top journals, we traced the movements of more than 2,200 researchers in the research domains of robotics, computer vision and electron devices. We categorized countries' characteristics for the balance between the inflow and the outflow of researchers moving internationally. Flow patterns of international mobility confirm that the United States, China and India exhibit the greatest global flows of researchers, with Singapore and Hong Kong attracting remarkable numbers of researchers from other countries. International mobility focusing on institutions reveals that universities in Singapore receive as many foreign researchers as do research universities in the United States. Furthermore, firms and international collaborative research institutes act as alternative receivers to the universities in the electron devices research domain.

Global Health Education: a cross-sectional study among German medical students to identify needs, deficits and potential benefits (Part 1 of 2: Mobility patterns & educational needs and demands)

BackgroundIn recent years, education and training in global health has been the subject of recurring debate in many countries. However, in Germany, there has been no analysis of the educational needs or demands of medical students, or the educational deficits or potential benefits involved in global health education. Our purpose is to analyse international health elective patterns of medical students enrolled at German universities and assess whether or how they prepare for their electives abroad. We examine the exposure of medical students enrolled at German universities to training courses in tropical medicine or global health and assess students' perceived needs and demands for education in global health.MethodsCross-sectional study among medical students in Germany including all 36 medical schools during the second half of the year 2007. All registered medical students were eligible to participate in the study. Recruitment occurred via electronic mailing-lists of students' unions. We developed a web-based, semi-structured questionnaire to capture students' international mobility patterns, preparation before electives, destination countries, exposure to and demand for global health learning opportunities.Results1126 online-replies were received and analysed from all registered medical students in Germany (N = 78.067). 33.0% of all respondents (370/1126) declared at least one international health elective and of these, 36.0% (133/370) completed their electives in developing countries. 36.0% (131/363) did not prepare specifically at all, 59.0% (214/363) prepared either by self-study or declared a participation in specific preparation programmes. 87.8% of 5th and 6th year students had never participated in a global health course and 72.6% (209/288) had not completed a course in tropical medicine. 94.0% (861/916) endorsed the idea of introducing global health into medical education.ConclusionStudents in our sample are highly mobile during their studies. International health electives are common, also in developing countries. Formal preparation beyond self-study is virtually non-existent amongst our sample and the participation rate in courses of tropical medicine or global health is appallingly low. We have identified unmet perceived needs and the demand for more learning opportunities in global health in our sample, urging for reforms to adjust curricula to a globalising world.

Global Health Education: a cross-sectional study among German medical students to identify needs, deficits and potential benefits (Part 2 of 2: Knowledge gaps and potential benefits).

BackgroundIn Germany, educational deficits or potential benefits involved in global health education have not been analysed till now.ObjectiveWe assess the importance medical students place on learning about social determinants of health (SDH) and assess their knowledge of global health topics in relation to (i) mobility patterns, their education in (ii) tropical medicine or (iii) global health.MethodsCross-sectional study among medical students from all 36 medical schools in Germany using a web-based, semi-structured questionnaire. Participants were recruited via mailing-lists of students' unions, all medical students registered in 2007 were eligible to participate in the study. We captured international mobility patterns, exposure to global health learning opportunities and attitudes to learning about SDH. Both an objective and subjective knowledge assessment were performed.Results1126 online-replies were received and analysed. International health electives in developing countries correlated significantly with a higher importance placed on all provided SDH (p ≤ 0.006). Participation in tropical medicine (p < 0.03) and global health courses (p < 0.02) were significantly associated with a higher rating of 'culture, language and religion' and the 'economic system'. Global health trainings correlated with significantly higher ratings of the 'educational system' (p = 0.007) and the 'health system structure' (p = 0.007), while the item 'politics' was marginally significant (p = 0.053).In the knowledge assessment students achieved an average score of 3.6 (SD 1.5; Mdn 4.0), 75% achieved a score of 4.0 or less (Q25 = 3.0; Q75 = 4.0) from a maximum achievable score of 8.0. A better performance was associated with international health electives (p = 0.032), participation in tropical medicine (p = 0.038) and global health (p = 0.258) courses.ConclusionThe importance medical students in our sample placed on learning about SDH strongly interacts with students' mobility, and participation in tropical medicine and global health courses. The knowledge assessment revealed deficits and outlined needs to further analyse education gaps in global health. Developing concerted educational interventions aimed at fostering students' engagement with SDH could make full use of synergy effects inherent in student mobility, tropical medicine and global health education.

Demographic Structure and International Student Mobility: An Investigation of Chinese Students in Australia

Recently, an increasing number of Chinese students has come to Australia to study; some of them opted to settle in Australia as permanent residents while others chose to return to China. More Chinese students are pursuing further studies overseas due to China's recent rapid economic growth, which increased the ranks of middle- and upper-middle class families who have the means to send their children to study abroad. The trend also reflects China's intergenerational wealth transfer in the “first demographic dividend” period. This paper reviews the recent patterns of international mobility of Chinese students to Australia and examines the factors that affect Chinese students' settlement decisions. The paper links the patterns of international mobility of students to the demographic structure of the sending country.

Towards a multipolar science world: trends and impact

This paper brings together recent statistical evidence on international (co-)publications and (foreign) PhD-students and scholars to document shifts in geographic sources of scientific production and the impact this has on flows of scientific talent and partnering for scientific collaboration. The evidence demonstrates that despite the continued dominance of the US and the increasing importance of the EU, the TRIAD is in relative decline. Other geographic sources of science outside the TRIAD are rising, both in quantity, but also, although still to a lesser extent, in quality. Especially China drives this non-TRIAD growth. This catching-up of non-TRIAD countries drives a slow but real process of global convergence. It nevertheless leaves a less equal non-TRIAD science community, as the growth of China, is not matched by other non-TRIAD countries. Despite the rise of China’s own scientific production, and the increasing return flows of overseas students and scholars, the outward flows of Asian talents have not diminished over time. The data suggest a high correlation between the patterns of international mobility of scientists and the patterns of international collaborations. The large and stable flow of Chinese human capital into the US forms the basis on which stable international US-Chinese scientific networks are built. With the EU lacking this Chinese human capital circulation, it is more difficult to build up similar strong and stable networks.