Migration Experience Research Articles

Caribbean Migrant Women Making Their Voices Heard: Perspectives from Tobago

Abstract This article examines the life histories of three women who migrated from the island of Tobago in the period 1950 to 1990. The themes explored include the factors which motivated their move, their lived realities in ‘new’ lands, the impact of migration on them and their families, and the reasons for return migration. This article argues that from the first half of the twentieth century, working-class Tobago women, through their personal migration efforts, made use of ingenuity, psychological strength and ambition to better themselves and their families. The Caribbean labour migration literature highlights the migration treks of Caribbean men during this period, but Caribbean women travelled in equally large numbers regionally and internationally in a relentless pursuit of wage labour and economic stability. While in some instances, their migration experiences led to the achievement of promised upward mobility, the pain of deteriorating family relations and rejection in a ‘new’ land, often led to return migration. This argument, which rests upon an interrogation of life histories, newspapers and official documents, presents new insights on a familiar topic, and meaningfully expands the historiography of migration and Caribbean women.

"What's Love Got to Do": Tracing Violence Against Post-Soviet Women in Cross-Border Marriages

Women in cross-border marriages are at a heightened risk of experiencing domestic violence, as they areparticularly traumatised by the experience of migration, which undermines their capacity for independentaction, and they are more vulnerable at the intersections of status, ethnicity, employment, and income. Usingthe theoretical framework of narrative victimology, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted withfive women from post-Soviet countries (Ukraine and Belarus) who were married to Israeli Arab Muslims.This study examines the experience of victimisation and spousal abuse among Slavic Christian women fromthe FSU married to Arab Muslims in Israel. The narratives of the women confirmed that cross-border spousesare susceptible to domestic abuse and intimate partner violence. The constellation of a cross-border familycombines the external risk factors, such as the trauma of migration and the loss of socio-economic stability,the cultural factors associated with the patriarchal nature of Arab society and the tolerance of wife-beating,and the individual man's need to maintain control through the use of coercion and violence. Isolation, as anatural consequence of immigration and as a coercive technique used by an abuser, operates together,intensifying the experience of abuse and preventing the woman from reaching out for help. Pregnancy andchildbearing constituted a particular risk factor for perpetrating abuse against cross-border wives bydebilitating the woman and further preventing her from leaving the abusive marriage.

Translocation and migrants’ live-in experiences: A literary discourse on select novels

With the huge surge of African migrants in the West, especially in the post Covid-19 era, it becomes important to investigate these migrants’ experiences as portrayed in literary texts by writers. Hence, this research examines the representation of migrant challenges in African literature through a critical discourse on two contemporary novels: Abdulrazak Gurnah's Gravel Heart and Helon Habila's Travelers. Adopting Homi Bhabha’s theory, hybridity, the study focuses on how these literary works depict the struggles of African Migrants as they navigate and interpret both cultures– West/African while in the diaspora in order to survive. The discourse highlights the issues of displacement, dislocation, alignment, cultural identity, and the struggle for survival in a foreign land. By exploring the similarities and differences between the two novels, the paper reveals the complexity and diversity of African migrant experiences as it provides insights into the broader issues of globalization, colonialism, and migration. Ultimately, the research argues that African literature plays a crucial role in shaping our understanding of the migrant experiences and in promoting social justice and human rights.

Lived experiences of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in the UK: Migration and identity.

Sri Lankan Tamil refugees (SLTRs) have lived in the United Kingdom in substantial numbers for about three decades. However, they remain under-represented in academic and public discourse, and little is known about their migration experiences. This study examined first-hand accounts of such experiences, with special attention paid to identity and acculturation. Data were collected through four semi-structured interviews and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The results suggest that SLTRs' experience of conflict as an imposed life disruption continues to shape their adaptation, identity, and meaning-making ("Afflicted life"). Changing social identities mediate protection from, as well as risk of, trauma. SLTRs try to remedy the socio-economic and emotional losses suffered in the conflict, but achieve only a partial compensation. Consequently their repair efforts are a source not only of positive emotions but also of dissatisfaction ("Living past"). Finally, participants' sense of belonging and quest for home represent a challenging socio-emotional process in which they continue to engage even decades after migration ("Continuing quest for home"). This nuanced analysis of how the past continues to shape lived experience, contributes to the under-developed literature on qualitative psychological investigations of acculturation, research on forced migration, and the establishment of IPA in social psychology.

What words can tell us about social determinants of mental health: A multi-method analysis of sentiment towards migration experiences and community life in Lima, Perú.

To support resilience in contexts of migration, a deeper understanding of the experiences of both receiving communities and migrants is required. Research on the impacts of migration on community life is limited in contexts with high internal migration (i.e., migrating within one's country of origin). Evidence suggests that cultural similarity, community relationships, and access to resources may be protective factors that could be leveraged to support the mental health of internal migrants. The current study uses data drawn from a sample of pregnant Peruvian women (N = 251), 87 of whom reported being internal migrants and 164 of whom reported being from the locale of the study (Lima, Perú). The aim was to better understand the social experience of internal migration for both local and migrant women. Inductive thematic analysis was used to examine migration experience and perceived impact of migration on community life. Internal migrants discussed three themes relative to their experiences: motivations, adjustment, and challenges. Experiences of women in receiving communities consisted of four themes related to migration: positive, negative, neutral, and mixed perceptions. Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC-22) software was also used to assess sentiment towards migration. Across both analytic methods, migration motivations and perceptions were multifaceted and migrants reported a wide range of challenges before, during, and after migration. Findings indicated that attitudes toward migration are broadly positive, and that there is a more positive appraisal of migration's impact on the community life for internal as opposed to international migration.

Diversity and Access to Palliative Care and Medical Assistance in Dying in an Urban Setting.

This article focuses on the end-of-life experiences of migrants and non-migrants from young to old, who died in a Canadian cosmopolitan city in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on interviews with over one hundred relatives of as many deceased, the authors discuss end of life issues, namely access to palliative care and medical assistance in dying. The data indicate unequal access to care at the intersection of several factors, including type of disease, patient's age, uncertainty of their prognosis, and migrant/non-migrant status. While being young and having cancer were undeniably associated with the provision of care (curative and palliative), those who did not benefit from palliative care tended to be social minorities in the local society and suffered from diseases with ambiguous prognosis. The right to "Die with dignity" is fundamental, with or without palliative care and regardless of where the end of life takes place.

A Mixed-Methods Exploration of Legal Vulnerability, Trauma, and Psychological Wellbeing in Immigrant Caregivers and Youth

(1) Background: Immigrant families in the U.S. face a myriad of migration-related stressors and trauma, and legal vulnerability can further compound such stressors, influencing both immigrant caregiver and child wellbeing. This study explored the relationships between legal vulnerability, trauma, and migration and their effects on caregiving, psychological distress, and resilience in immigrant families. (2) Methods: In total, 37 Latinx immigrant caregiver–child dyads from a community sample were interviewed and completed self-report measures on their experiences of migration, trauma, psychological functioning, and parent–child relationships. (3) Results: Using a community-based, sequential quantitative-qualitative design, person-centered analyses revealed two caregiver clusters: “Personalizing Stress” and “Meaning-making”. Exemplar case analyses characterized differences between clusters, particularly related to trauma symptoms, in which the “meaning-making” cluster endorsed higher levels of psychological functioning and wellbeing compared to the “personalizing stress” cluster, in which the process of creating meaning from adversity appeared to function as a resilience resource for the “meaning-making” cluster. While most indicators of caregiver–child wellbeing were not correlated, family legal vulnerability was strongly correlated with high resilience in children. (4) Conclusions: Clinicians should attend to the resilience resources that immigrant families from legally vulnerable communities utilize, including meaning-making.

Urban-urban split households in China: Gender, migration, and stay-behind women

The study of split households in China and beyond has traditionally centered on rural-urban migration, overlooking the prevalence of split householding among urban-urban migrants. Despite receiving scant scholarly attention, urban-urban migrant dynamics, particularly concerning relational power negotiation among women in long-distance relationships, warrant exploration. This paper delves into the experiences of urban-urban migrants in China, spotlighting how stay-behind women negotiate relational power within split households. Drawing from 30 in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with various types of migrant households and focusing on 12 split households, this study sheds light on the relationships of contemporary urban, educated Chinese couples with patriarchal values entrenched in the Confucian family system. The findings reveal that split households expose the tension between entrenched Confucian patriarchy and women’s aspirations for autonomy. While serving as a respite from traditional gender roles, split households inadvertently offer women newfound independence. Although not overtly challenging conventional gender norms, stay-behind women in urban-urban split households leverage agency and empowerment within the existing gender framework. This research underscores the evolving gender dynamics in China, poised between entrenched patriarchy and emerging spaces for alternative gender practices, offering insights into the nuanced experiences of women in split households.

Attaining decent work among Chinese rural migrants: Exploring the roles of psychological ownership and proactive personality within the psychology of working theory.

Testing an adapted psychology of working theory (PWT) model (PWT; Duffy et al., 2016), this study examined how and when contextual constraints affect the ability of Chinese rural migrant workers () to attain decent work. Surveying a sample of 510 employed Chinese rural migrants at two time points, this study revealed that economic constraints and daily discrimination were indirectly related to attaining decent work through the mediating factors of work volition and psychological ownership over work. In addition, proactive personality moderated the relationships between daily discrimination and economic constraints and the two mediators. The results contribute to better understanding Chinese rural migrant workers' work experience, refining the PWT and enriching the literature on the underlying mechanisms and moderating factors associated with decent work attainment. The research results call for policy and social change to lessen economic constraints and discrimination at the macro level and organizational commitment to employee-oriented human resource management and counseling interventions to improve the quality of the work lives of rural migrant workers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Trauma and Unaccompanied Child Migration in US History: Reflections from the Archives

Abstract: Through detailed analysis of archival records, Anita Casavantes Bradford traces the history of the clinical, academic, and popular understandings of trauma as it influenced US immigration policy for unaccompanied migrant children during the twentieth century. She questions why adults charged with the care of unaccompanied minors have "(mis)understood … (mis)managed … and (mis)represented" children as traumatized, both unintentionally and deliberately, in order to advance adult objectives. Casavantes Bradford provides a historical overview of US immigration and refugee polices since the 1930s as applied to unaccompanied migrant children. This history also traces the evolution of clinical and popular definitions of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—officially recognized by psychologists in 1980—and suggests that policies for managing and mitigating trauma among unaccompanied minors often led to negative consequences. These polices, above all, were often based on geopolitical and domestic political considerations rather than the welfare of children, according to Casavantes Bradford. Thus, during the 1980s, unaccompanied minors from Haiti and Central America reaching the United States faced detention and deportation, while Sudanese "lost boys" were granted preferential treatment that aligned with US national security interests in Africa. Since the 1930s, markers of difference such as race, class, and religion have also played fundamental roles in which unaccompanied minors have been given the "right to be traumatized" and resettlement. Casavantes Bradford cautions researchers against interpreting migrant children's experiences through biased or ahistorical notions of trauma that oversimplify individual young people's experiences and their potential resilience. Historians and others should critically examine their own assumptions when studying trauma and the experiences of unaccompanied migrant children.

Drawing Ambivalence

Abstract This article reflects on the significance of Melilla, a Spanish enclave and southern border of the European Union (EU), in the migratory experience of the Moroccan youth on the move to Europe who call themselves harraga. The methodology combines a multisited ethnographic approach (Marcus 2001), from Casablanca to Paris, with a multimodal one (Westmoreland 2022), collecting information through in-depth interviews, life stories, participant observations and a drawing workshop. Although the institutional violence in the governance of the mobility of this youth makes Melilla resemble a city-prison (Khosravi 2021), in my reflections I argue that this border has an ambivalent impact on the whole migratory experience of the harraga youth. On the one hand, frustration, everyday violence, and racism appear; on the other, friendship, autonomy and networking.

A decolonial‐inspired ethnography: Centering indigeneity in culturally responsive evaluation with Latinx immigrant communities

AbstractThis article elaborates on the struggle to decolonize knowledge and introduces a decolonial‐inspired framework for conducting research. This is then demonstrated through the example of a project examining Latinx immigrant and Indigenous Health on California's Central Coast. In this case, a mixed‐methods ethnographic approach was used to capture the complexity of migrant experiences. Utilizing participant observation, interviews, focus groups, news data analysis, and a comprehensive survey, the study integrated community input and reflexivity. The article emphasizes linguistic and cultural factors, showcasing how structural factors of race and Indigeneity impact the dynamics of evaluation methods. The decolonial‐inspired approach also emphasizes making research useful by guiding the dissemination of findings in a way that fosters transparency and accountability. In this case, the study engages with policymakers and community leaders advocating for health equity and justice.

Establishing a probability sample in a crisis context: the example of Ukrainian refugees in Germany in 2022

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, more than one million refugees have arrived in Germany. These Ukrainian refugees differ in many aspects from Germany’s past forced migration experiences and there exists an urgent need for sound data and information for politics, practitioners, and academics. In response, the IAB-BiB/FReDA-BAMF-SOEP study was established to provide high-quality longitudinal data following a register-based probability sample. We detail on an approach for sampling refugees in brief time, making use of two different registers—the German population register and the central register of foreigners—and discuss the quality of the final sample with respect to potential selectivity of participation in the panel. Overall, we demonstrate the benefits and feasibility of establishing register-based samples even in the context of a geopolitical crisis and the necessity of sound data within brief time horizons. We provide guidance that can be followed for similar events in the future.

‘Route Causes’ and Consequences of Irregular (Re-)Migration: Vulnerability as an Indicator of Future Risk in Refugee Law

AbstractStates’ bordering practices force individuals to undertake dangerous migratory journeys and put them at risk of severe human rights violations. Yet, irregular arrivals who are found not to be at risk of serious harm in their countries of origin are perceived as voluntary migrants and are therefore assumed not to be in need of protection. This article employs the concept of vulnerability to challenge the idea that both the initial and subsequent dangerous migratory journeys are undertaken voluntarily. Based on an analysis of trafficking-based asylum claims from the UK and Germany, the article shows that both re-trafficking and irregular re-migration result from vulnerabilities which converge to preclude reintegration in the country of origin and access to livelihood options. While some of these vulnerabilities are likely to be present at the time of the initial dangerous journey already, the article pays particular attention to ‘consequential vulnerabilities’ brought about by previous migration experiences. It then introduces the concept of ‘route causes’ of irregular re-migration to describe factors which heighten the risk of re-migrating irregularly and therefore establish a risk on return related to harm experienced during irregular migration, rather than in the country of origin. Thus, the article shows that the vulnerability concept informs the future risk analysis in refugee law and argues that, just like a risk of re-trafficking, a risk of irregular re-migration could form the basis of an asylum claim.

Working conditions and mental health of migrants and refugees in Europe considering cultural origin– a systematic review

BackgroundMigrants and refugees/asylum seekers, as a large part of the European work force, are often confronted with unfavorable working conditions in the host country. Main aim of this systematic review was to compare the association of these working conditions with mental health between migrants and refugees/asylum seekers due to their diverse migration experiences and cultural origins, and between different European host countries.MethodsSystematic search for eligible primary studies was conducted in three electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO and CINAHL) using quantitative study designs written in English, German, French, Italian, Polish, Spanish or Turkish and published from January 1, 2016 to October 27, 2022. Primary health outcomes were diagnosed psychiatric and psychological disorders, suicide and suicide attempts, psychiatric and psychological symptoms, and perceived distress. Secondary health outcomes were more general concepts of mental health such as well-being, life satisfaction and quality of life. Two reviewers independently completed screening, data extraction and the methodological quality assessment of primary studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa-Scale. Descriptive summary of primary studies on working conditions and their relationship with mental health were conducted, comparing migrants and refugees/asylum seekers, migrants and refugees/asylum seekers of different cultural backgrounds (collectivistic and individualistic) and migrants and refugees/asylum seekers living in different host countries.ResultsInclusion criteria were met by 19 primary studies. Voluntary migrants are more likely to experience overqualification in the host country than refugees. In all examined host countries, migrants and refugees suffer from unfavorable working conditions, with migrants from collectivistic countries being slightly at risk compared to migrants from individualistic countries. Most unfavorable working conditions are related to poor mental health, regardless of migrant status, cultural origin or host country.ConclusionsAlthough the results should be interpreted with caution due to the small number of studies, it is evident that to maintain both the mental health and labor force of migrants and refugees/asylum seekers, their working conditions in host countries should be controlled and improved. Special attention should be paid to specific subgroups such as migrants from collectivistic societies.Ethics and disseminationThis systematic review is excluded from ethical approval because it used previously approved published data from primary studies.Trial registration numberCRD42021244840.

Access to healthcare by undocumented Zimbabwean migrants in post-apartheid South Africa.

Zimbabwean undocumented migrants rely on the South African public health care system for treatment of non-communicable and communicable diseases, surgery and medical emergency services. A gap remains to understand undocumented migrant experiences at a time when accessing public healthcare has been topical in South Africa. This article aimed to describe and understand the experiences, challenges and health-seeking alternatives of undocumented Zimbabwean migrants in accessing healthcare services in Nellmapius in Pretoria. The study was conducted at Nellmapius in Pretoria. A qualitative descriptive research design was used. Structured interviews with 13 undocumented migrants were conducted by applying purposive and snowballing sampling techniques. The data were thematically analysed. Migrants reported that the attitudes by healthcare officials suggest unwillingness to provide services to undocumented migrants, aggravating their vulnerability and perennial illness. Migrants faced challenges of discrimination, a lack of professional service delivery, a lack of financial capacity to pay for services and a lack of documentation evoking health-seeking alternatives. Migrants continue to face challenges while accessing subsidised health care. This study confirms that medical xenophobia is generally present in the public health care centres, at least for the sampled undocumented Zimbabwean migrants. The majority of undocumented migrants cannot afford to pay for private healthcare.Contribution:The findings of this study inform national, provincial and local healthcare facilities to be ethical and provide dignified quality healthcare to undocumented migrants in line with international practices.

Prácticas transnacionales y calidad de vida de un pueblo michoacano con experiencia de migración a Estados Unidos

This research aimed to explore the transnational affective, family, social, economic and material practices and the perception of the quality of life maintained by people with migration experience between San Jose Huipana, Michoacan, and the United States, which allow them to maintain links between the country of origin and destination. A qualitative methodology, a phenomenological method, and a cross-sectional and descriptive study were used. Thirteen people with migration experience were interviewed in-depth, intentionally selected by typical-ideal cases, through snowballing. The data were analyzed phenomenologically. It was found that transnational practices favor the quality of life in general since they promote the physical, psychological, economic, material, and social well-being of active migrants and their families.

Ejercicios de Chi Kung como una propuesta de autocuidado en la experiencia migrante

The present reflection aims to propose the use of Chi Kung exercises as an alternative for self-care in the experience of migrants. This ancient technique, derived from traditional and complementary therapies, is presented as an accessible and easy-to-perform tool, allowing vulnerable populations to apply it. These are simple exercises that do not require a specific space or prolonged time each day. The sustained practice of these exercises promotes a sense of psychosocial comfort in individuals or their families.

Decoding the Migration, Rehabilitation, and the Impact of Caste in the Lives of Bengali Dalit Women Strata in the post-Partition Bengal: Revisiting Kalyani Thakur Charal’s Autobiographical Narrative Ami Keno Charal Likhi, and Novella Andhar Bil

Based on the reading of Kalyani Thakur Charal’s notable autobiographical narrative Ami Keno Charal Likhi (Why I Sign as Charal,2016) and novella Andhar Bil (2016), this paper intends to analyze the experiences of second-generation Bengali Dalit women refugees in case of the post-Partition West Bengal. The present paper examines the tropes of nostalgia, partition, and rehabilitation as experiences of Bengali Dalit women characters in the post-Partition West Bengal, the notions of migration, remembrance, oppression, and injustice. Through a detailed analysis of both the narratives, this research article intends to explore how the intersectional dynamism of caste, and gender have impacted the experiences of Bengali Dalit women strata substantially. In majoritarian aspects Bengali Dalit women characters have been reduced to mute objects, stripped of their agency, subjecthood, and desires, from which these two narratives shift substantially.
 In case of the post-Partition scenario of West Bengal, the experiences of refugees from the different sections of the society are not a homogenized one. Kalyani Thakur’s narratives offer some valuable points for thinking about the differentiated experiences of migration, displacement, deprivation, and caste discrimination faced by Bengali Dalit women characters. Through her autobiographical narrative and the novella Andhar Bil, Kalyani Thakur also tries to portray how the intersectional dynamism of caste and gender has problematized the overall experiences of the Bengali Dalit populace in the post-Partition West Bengal. The researcher wants to argue that ideas like caste and gender both act as a site of oppression, which the grand narrative of the Bengal partition is primarily unable to capture. To develop this paper, the researcher consults literary, historical, and sociological facets of the Bengal Partition of 1947, Dalit identity, migration, and its effects on the Bengali Dalit population.

Experiences of pregnant Venezuelan migrants/refugees in Brazil, Ecuador and Peru: a qualitative analysis

BackgroundIt is estimated that since 2014, approximately 7.3 million Venezuelan migrants/refugees have left the country. Although both male and female migrants/refugees are vulnerable, female migrants/refugees are more likely to face discrimination, emotional, physical, and sexual violence. Currently there is a lack of literature that explores the experiences of pregnant Venezuelan migrants/refugees. Our aim is to better understand the experience of this vulnerable population to inform programming.MethodsIn the parent study, Spryng.io’s sensemaking tool was used to gain insight into the gendered migration experiences of Venezuelan women/girls. A total of 9339 micronarratives were collected from 9116 unique participants in Peru, Ecuador and Brazil from January to April 2022. For the purpose of this analysis, two independent reviewers screened 817 micronarratives which were identified by the participant as being about someone who was pregnant, ultimately including 231 as part of the thematic analysis. This was an exploratory study and an open thematic analysis of the narratives was performed.ResultsThe mean age and standard deviation of our population was 25.77 ± 6.73. The majority of women in the sample already had at least 1 child (62%), were married at the time of migration (53%) and identified as low socio-economic status (59%). The qualitative analysis revealed the following main themes among pregnant Venezuelan migrants/refugees: xenophobia in the forms of racial slurs and hostile treatment from health-care workers while accessing pregnancy care; sexual, physical, and verbal violence experienced during migration; lack of shelter, resources and financial support; and travelling with the hopes of a better future.ConclusionPregnant Venezuelan migrants/refugees are a vulnerable population that encounter complex gender-based and societal issues that are rarely sufficiently reported. The findings of this study can inform governments, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations to improve support systems for pregnant migrants/refugees. Based on the results of our study we recommend addressing xenophobia in health-care centres and the lack of shelter and food in host countries at various levels, creating support spaces for pregnant women who experience trauma or violence, and connecting women with reliable employment opportunities and maternal healthcare.