1,721,038 research outputs found
Labour market activity, occupational change and length of stay in the Gulf
No full textThis article analyses the relationship between migration duration and occupational changes, using the case of Indian expatriates in the Gulf states. Based on the Kerala (India) Migration Survey 2008 and the Return Migration Survey 2009, this analysis investigates whether the length of stay in the Gulf depends on migrants’ occupational trajectories before, during, and after the migration experience. We find inter alia that a prospect of acquiring an occupation which entails upward social mobility (mainly in the public sector or as self-employees) seems to be associated with a shorter stay in the Gulf states, whereas the prospect of post-return labour market dropout significantly increases migration duration
Migration decision-making and its key dimensions
No full textMigration decisions are made in the context of personal needs and desires, and the individuals making these decisions face uncertain outcomes. Information about future opportunities is incomplete, and whether migration turns out to be a personal success or failure depends mostly on circumstances that are ex ante unknown and ex post not fully under the control of the individuals who migrate. This article elaborates on four dimensions of the complex process of migration decision-making: the formation of migration aspirations, the cognitive rules for searching and evaluating information about migratory options, the timing and planning horizons for preparing and realizing migratory decisions, and the locus of control and degree of agency in making migration decisions. We review the current state of evidence and identify opportunities for future empirical research that can help us to better understand these key dimensions of migration decision-making.</p
Internationalisation and diversification of Indian academic careers
Get PDFThis paper examines the major patterns and drivers of interlinked geographical and career mobilities of Indian-born researchers and scientists. Based on a global survey of 4,600 Indian researchers and 40 in-depth interviews, this study provides evidence on the internationalisation of careers and the diversification of destinations of Indian-born academics. Our survey indicates that about a third of all Indian researchers have some international study or professional experience at some stage of their career. Prime destinations are still the US, Canada, and the UK, but outside these ‘academic core’ destinations some new European and East Asian destinations are emerging and are expected to play a more prominent role in the future. Mobility of Indian researchers is mainly driven by an intrinsic motivation to internationalise their scientific careers, but has also to do with the status quo of the research environment in India. Moving abroad enables researchers to acquire expertise in a field of research that is not sufficiently developed back home, and provides exposure to research facilities and personnel deemed better and more qualified than those back home. In this respect, international study and work experience are often perceived of as providing professional merits which are instrumental in career progression upon return to India. This happens through the acquisition of tangible – specialisation, access to new networks and funding – and immaterial resources: ‘know-how’, quality and reputation of degrees and work experience, new managerial skills. This study also sheds some light on the role of destination countries’ immigration policies, which seems to play a minor role in the mobility decisions of Indian scientists. However, even if researchers do not really take migration policies into account in their decision making process, we cannot conclude that their international mobility is barrier-free. Immigration policies and rights to work may affect the mobility of scientists rather indirectly by influencing the recruitment decisions of employers and departments in destination countries, without the candidates themselves being aware of these criteria
The global evolution of travel visa regimes: an analysis based on the DEMIG VISA database
Get PDFDrawing on the new DEMIG VISA database which covers global bilateral travel restrictions from 1973 to 2013, this paper explores patterns and trends in international visa regimes. We construct indices of cross-regional inbound and outbound travel restrictiveness to investigate (i) the extent to which different world regions and regional unions have opened or closed to other regions and (ii) the ways in which the formation of regional unions or the disintegration of countries or unions of countries (e.g. the USSR) has affected international visa regimes. Generally, the analysis challenge the idea of a growing global mobility divide between ‘North’ and ‘South’, and yields a more complex image reflecting the rather multi-polar and multi-layered nature of international relations. While the strongest change has been the decreasing use of exit restrictions, the level of entry visa restrictiveness has remained remarkably stable at high levels, with currently around 73 per cent of country dyads being visa-restricted. While predominantly European and North American OECD countries maintain high levels of entry visa restrictiveness for Africa and Asia, these latter regions have the highest levels of entry restrictions themselves. Although citizens of wealthy countries generally enjoy greatest visa-free travel opportunities, this primarily reflects their freedom to travel to other OECD countries. Visa-free travel is mostly realised between geographically proximate countries of integrated regional blocs such as ECOWAS, the EU, GCC and MERCOSUR. Analyses of global dynamics in visa reciprocity show that 21 per cent of the country dyads have asymmetrical visa rules, but also show that levels of reciprocity have increased since the mid-1990s. Our analysis shows that visas are not ‘just’ instruments regulating entry of visitors and exit of citizens, but are manifestations of broader political economic trends and inequalities in international power relations
European migration governance in the context of uncertainty
No full textMigration inherently embodies uncertainty and dynamism, eluding precise conceptualisation, definition, and measurement. Embedded within intricate migration driver environments and shaped by the diverse agency of actors involved – prospective migrants, intermediaries, and policymakers – migration defies easy prediction and effective policy response. This inherent complexity within international migration flows poses immediate and long-term governance challenges. This paper delves into the impact of migration-related uncertainty on European migration governance. We scrutinise how uncertainty shapes migration policy responses and investigate the roles of key actors in assessing and communicating various facets of migration-related uncertainty. Employing illustrative cases – the Syrian refugee situation and environmentally-induced migration – we uncover how uncertainty influences European migration governance and policymaking. Our study sheds light on the interplay between migration uncertainty and governance processes. The findings emphasise the need for nuanced policy approaches to navigate the complexities inherent in international migration processes.<br/
The global evolution of travel visa regimes
No full textDrawing on the new DEMIG VISA database which covers global bilateral travel regulations from 1973 to 2013, this paper explores patterns and trends in international travel visa regimes. The analysis challenge the idea of a growing global mobility divide between ‘North’ and ‘South’, yielding a more complex image reflecting the multi-polar and multi-layered nature of international relations. While predominantly European and North American OECD countries have maintained relatively high levels of entry visa restrictiveness for Africa and Asia, the latter regions have the highest levels of entry restrictions themselves. While citizens of wealthy (mainly OECD) countries generally enjoy greatest visa-free travel opportunities, this primarily reflects their freedom to travel to other OECD countries. Visa-free travel is mostly realised between geographically proximate countries of integrated regional blocs such as ECOWAS, the EU, GCC and MERCOSUR. Analyses of global dynamics in visa reciprocity show that 21 per cent of the country dyads have asymmetrical visa rules, but also show that levels of reciprocity have increased since the mid-1990s. Our analysis shows that visas are not ‘just’ instruments regulating entry of visitors and exit of citizens, but are manifestations of broader political economic trends and inequalities in international power relations
Civil conflict and displacement: village-level determinants of forced migration in Aceh
Get PDFThe purpose of this article is to identify the determinants of displacement behavior based on various push and pull factors at the village level. The study concentrates on changes in village population during three years of civil conflict (1999—2002) in Aceh, Indonesia. The empirical analysis is based on a unique dataset from two census rounds of the Indonesian Village Potential Census (PODES). It uses data on around 5,200 Acehnese villages and relates village-level population change to conflict variables, geographic patterns, and traditional socio-economic determinants of migration. By applying quantile regressions, the push (outflow) factors and the pull (inflow) determinants of migration can also be distinguished. The authors identify the following factors as the main determinants of the Aceh migration pattern in this period. First, conflict clashes induced large rearrangements of the population between villages in highly affected districts, as well as strong village emigration from the geographically remote regions in Central Aceh towards the less conflict-affected coastal industrial areas. Besides conflict factors, an (ongoing) rural—urban migration process, driven by socio-economic factors, has taken place during the conflict period. Second, there is also evidence that security considerations, such as the presence of police in a village or neighborhood, were either emigration-reducing or immigration-inducing. Third, although the presence of ethnic Javanese has not been a primary cause of conflict incidence, their intimidation by the rebel movement has led to a significant outflow, primarily from conflict-affected villages in Central Aceh. These results reveal that, beside a conflict-induced fear of violence, population movements in Aceh have also been an outcome of traditional migration determinants
Refugee education between humanitarian and development assistance - a configurational comparative analysis across low- and middle-income host countries
Get PDFIn the context of increasing and ever more protracted forced displacement within a globally shrinking asylum and solutions space, long-standing efforts to bridge the humanitarian- development divide in refugee assistance are on a periodical high. Amongst others, such efforts translate into a decisive policy shift away from parallel systems of refugee education supported by the humanitarian sector, towards the inclusion of refugees in host country national education systems supported by governments and development partners.
This policy shift comes with a clearly defined end goal: increased self-reliance levels through improved education access and quality for both refugee and host communities. It comes without an evidence base including understanding of current policy and practice and their variation across countries.
Against this backdrop, this doctoral research project builds a cross-country baseline of current policy and practice across 41 of the largest low- and middle-income refugee hosting countries. It sets out to examine under what conditions developmental approaches can lead to better access outcomes in primary and secondary education for refugees. It finds these to be stronger national education systems in host countries with more favourable protection environments ensuring basic socio-economic rights, thereby reducing opportunity costs and increasing demand for education amongst refugees. Set within the global policy context, the project analyses degrees of inclusion of refugees in national education policy and provides insights on implementation paths pursued along with resulting education outcomes for refugees.
The conceptual starting point for this study is refugeesâ position within the global system of nation-states which defines their opportunities to access education and ultimately transform their skills into self-reliance outcomes. It adopts a configurational comparative research design that enables a broader global perspective while not overlooking contextual specificities and multidimensional complexities. As such, the study makes empirical but also theoretical and methodological contributions to the field of refugee education.</p
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