WELCOME to our fourth quarterly newsletter of 2018, keeping you up-to-date on our migration activities, events, and publications at UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance. | ||
NEWS FROM OUR NETWORKS |
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UNU Migration Network The UNU Migration Network is a platform across the institutes of the UNU system encouraging collaboration between researchers working on migration. The network is currently coordinated by UNU-MERIT. On 20 September 2018, the Annual Migration Network Meeting was held at UNU-CRIS in Bruges, Belgium. The meeting was used to share updates regarding ongoing projects related to migration at the different UNU Institutes and to explore opportunities for joint research. |
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Maastricht Centre for Citizenship, Migration and Development (MACIMIDE) The Maastricht Centre for Citizenship, Migration and Development (MACIMIDE) is the interdisciplinary research platform of Maastricht University that brings together scholars working in the fields of migration, mobility, citizenship, development and family life. On 21 September 2018, the MACIMIDE Annual Conference took place in Maastricht, the Netherlands. MACIMIDE researchers presented their work to researchers from Maastricht University and to guest speakers and discussants from other universities. Several members of the UNU-MERIT Migration and Development research group attended the conference. Dr. Michaella Vanore, and PhD fellows Katrin Marchand, Anny Yip-Ching Yu and Charlotte Mueller presented their work in different panel sessions. PhD fellow Nora Jasmin Ragab co-organised a workshop on “Identity and Integration in Mobile Lives: Critical Reflections on Common Concepts”. Prof. Arjen Leerkes contributed to a panel session as discussant and Prof. Melissa Siegel, Co-Director of MACIMIDE, closed the Conference with a summary of its highlights. |
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NEW PROJECTS |
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H2020 Project: Advancing Alternative Migration Governance UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance are part of a consortium led by the University of Amsterdam which will investigate the conformity of European migration policy in practice with the basic principles of the United Nations. ADMIGOV will analyse the current gap between principles of migration policy on the one hand and its practice on the other, including entering and exiting the EU, and innovative solutions for temporary and circular migration. The aim is to develop alternative forms of migration policy that are optimally aligned with key principles of policies and consequently contribute to a future-proof migration policy. Dr. Katie Kuschminder will lead a work package on migration and development and participate in a work package on exit. Prof. Melissa Siegel and Julia Reinold will participate in a work package on developing indicators for migration governance. More information about the project can be found here. |
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GIZ Project: Migration Routes in West and Central Africa & East and Horn of Africa UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance were commissioned by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) to conduct the 2018 follow-up study of the Migration Routes in West and Central Africa & East and Horn of Africa report, commissioned by GIZ in 2017. The study describes the most prominent current irregular and regular migration routes in West and Central Africa and the East and Horn of Africa. It covers bilateral/ circular (trans-border) labour migration, intra-regional migration as well as outward and return migration: origin countries or sub-national regions, transit points, final destinations of regular (labour) migrants and border areas along the main migration routes where refugees and (irregular) migrants cross borders. The study furthermore provides updates on each country’s migration profile. Research officers Clara Alberola and Zachary Strain are mainly responsible for carrying out the project. |
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DRC Project: Syrian Diaspora mobilisation in the context of contested sovereignty A team of researchers from UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance has been mandated by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) to carry out a study on future scenarios of Syrian diaspora mobilisation in Europe and Syria´s neighbouring countries. Resolving the Syrian conflict within the broader Syrian society will be a long-term endeavour, heavily challenged by the fact that the sovereignty of the Syrian government continues to be contested and that the future of Syria’s displaced population, which accounts for almost half of the overall population, remains uncertain. One major factor towards future reconstruction and reconciliation will be the fact that a sizeable part of Syria’s civil society will be engaging from abroad, as part of the Syrian diaspora. In particular, the study seeks to explore how different Syrian diaspora actors will be willing and able to, or are already adjusting to the political realities inside Syria and what can be future scenarios for constructive involvement of diaspora groups. |
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WODC Project: Fluctuations in Migration Flows on the Balkans Route Commissioned by the Research and Documentation Centre (Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek- en Documentatiecentrum, WODC) this project will examine the changes in migration flows to Europe on the Balkans route from 2015-2018. The project is led by Dr. Katie Kuschminder and is conducted in partnership with Koç University and Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). This research aims to unpack the changing dynamics of the migration flows on the Western Balkans route including: the policy environment regarding the migration context on the Western Balkans route; the decision-making of migrants to take this route (or not); and the overall aspirations and destination choices of migrants on this route. The project aims to address the interplay of policy dynamics, migrants’ decision-making, and migration flows, and to ascertain how different interventions, including potential future interventions, may impact migration flows. |
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ITUC Project: Content of Migrant Recruitment Monitor Website The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) commissioned Dr. Craig Loschmann and research officer Katharina Koch from UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance to undertake a study to support the development of ITUC’s migrant recruitment monitor website. During the course of the research, the researchers will collect and collate relevant information on migrant worker recruitment in 10 countries, namely Sri Lanka, Kenya, Myanmar, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon and Jordan. This will include a review of relevant national legislation, a list of licensed/ registered private employment agencies, a mapping of government to government agreement for migrant workers, a list on common recruitment problems and advice on how to avoid them. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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Inaugural Lecture: Prof. Dr. Arjen Leerkes In January 2018, Prof. Arjen Leerkes was appointed Professor of Migration, Securitisation and Social Cohesion at Maastricht University. On 23 November 2018, he will deliver his inaugural lecture “Understanding international (im)mobility in times of gated globalism: toward an institutional migration theory“ in the Aula at Minderbroedersberg 4-6, Maastricht University from 16:30 to 17:30. Prof. Leerkes studies how states impact patterns of international migration in (un)intended ways, and at what human costs. In addition, he is interested in better understanding how receiving societies influence patterns of immigrant crime and immigrants’ trust in the police. Prof. Leerkes obtained a PhD in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Amsterdam in 2007. He is also an Associate Professor of Sociology at Erasmus University Rotterdam, and a research fellow of the Research and Documentation Centre (WODC) of the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security. More information about the event can be found here. |
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PhD Defences: Biljana Meshkovska, Ortrun Merkle & Katrin Marchand During the coming weeks, three members of the UNU-MERIT Migration and Development research group will defend their PhD theses. First, Biljana Meshkovska will defend her dissertation “Life after trafficking: (re) integration processes of women that have been trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Europe” on 22 November 2018 at 14:00. On 5 December 2018, Ortrun Merkle will defend her dissertation “The myth of gender neutral power: corruption and gender norms” at 10:00. Finally, Katrin Marchand will defend her dissertation “Essays on Forced Migration and Labour Market Participation in Developing Countries” on 13 December 2018 at 10:00. All defences will take place in the Aula at Minderbroedersberg 4-6, Maastricht University, and will be followed by a reception at the Refter of the same building. Please find more information about upcoming PhD defences and other events at UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance here. |
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Migration Seminars In conjunction with the Maastricht Centre for Citizenship, Migration and Development (MACIMIDE), the Migration and Development research group at UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance organises a series of migration-related seminars to provide a platform to discuss the research output of researchers at the institute and to invite external speakers to share their work. On 19 September, Dr. Swantje Falcke from Maastricht University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences gave the first migration seminar of this academic year entitled “Mixed Signals: How the Ambiguous German Citizenship Law Reform of 2000 Affected Immigrant Naturalisation Propensity”. In the second seminar on 10 October, Dr. Katie Kuschminder talked about “The Multi-Level Governance of Asylum in Italy: Understanding Eritreans Secondary Movements in search of Relocation within Italy”. The next migration seminars will be held by Dr. Magdalena Ulceluse, (University of Groningen), Prof. Ramiro Martínez, (Northeastern University), and Alex Hunns and Francesco Iacoella (UNU-MERIT). More information about past and future events is available here. To join our mailing list and receive invitations to future seminars, or to express interest in delivering a seminar, please email Charlotte Mueller. |
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PAST EVENTS |
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NVD-WODC Seminar: ‘Choice’ of the destination country and (im)mobility within Europe On 9 October 2018, the Netherlands Demographic Society (NVD) in cooperation with the Research and Documentation Centre (WODC) organised a seminar in The Hague on migration and mobility within Europe. The seminar aimed at better understanding, based on qualitative and quantitative research, migrants’ agency, motivations and decision-making to come to, move within and settle in Europe. Presentations covered different migrant groups including asylum seekers and labour migrants from various countries of origin. Dr. Katie Kuschminder contributed to the seminar with a presentation titled “Eritrean and Nigerian migrants’ journeys to Italy: decision making and experiences before the boat”. For more information on the programme click here. |
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PhD Defence: Dr. Jennifer Waidler On 4 October, Dr. Jennifer Waidler successfully defended her dissertation "Social Assistance and Remittances and Their Role in the Fight Against Poverty". Ending poverty is the first Sustainable Development Goal that the United Nations set for 2030. By contributing to improved living conditions of the poor through the diversification of income, migration (through remittances) can be understood as a form of informal social protection. By drawing on longitudinal household surveys from South Africa and Kyrgyzstan and using quantitative methodologies of impact evaluation, Waidler’s dissertation looks at the effects of both social assistance and remittances on a wide range of outcomes, from expenditure patterns to food insecurity and subjective well-being. Even though social assistance transfers and remittances share many similarities, there is scant literature comparing them. This book, therefore, explores and compares their role in the fight against poverty, one of the primary goals of both transfers. Please find more information here. |
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TRANSMIC Final Outreach Event On 22 September 2018, the final outreach event of the project “Transnational Migration, Citizenship and the Circulation of Rights and Responsibilities” (TRANSMIC) took place in Maastricht. During this event, TRANSMIC fellows gave short presentations of their research findings, followed by a general discussion and a Q&A session involving the audience. TRANSMIC was funded by the European Union and ran from 1 September 2014 to 31 August 2018. The aim of the project was to contribute to the understanding of transnational migration, in particular by looking at the conditions for and effects of transnational migration, possibilities for the mobility of migrants’ rights to be enhanced, and the links between migration, citizenship, and migration and development. |
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6th EMN Educational Seminar on Migration: Causes and Consequences of Forced Migration Prof. Arjen Leerkes participated in the 6th Educational Seminar on Migration organised by the European Migration Network (EMN) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Bratislava, Slovakia, from 22-24 August 2018. This year’s seminar titled “Causes and Consequences of Forced Migration” focused on migration myths and data-based migration policy-making, migration governance and future scenarios of international migration. The seminar also examined current migration developments from the perspective of countries of origin, vulnerabilities and human rights of migrants, environmentally induced migration as well as labour migration and the risks of modern slavery. Prof. Leerkes gave a lecture entitled “Corruption, transparency and (return) migration: human movement and (the lack of) good governance”. The seminar brought together international migration experts working in international organisations, NGOs, research institutions and academia. |
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College of Europe Executive Training Course On 24 September 2018, Dr. Michaella Vanore delivered a half-day session for the College of Europe Executive Training Course on 'Managing Migration in Europe: Challenge and Response'. This lecture examined current events in 2018 and compared the current migration situation in Europe to that in 2015. The overall course aims at taking stock of the tools, best practices and challenges in the field of migration and asylum in Europe. In addition, it links theory to practice through interactive presentations and case studies. The course is designed for government officials involved in migration and asylum management, professionals from NGOs, academia, legal practitioners, media representatives and journalists. |
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TRAINING PROGRAMMES |
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Migration Management Diploma Programme We will shortly be opening applications for our seventh cohort of the Migration Management Diploma Programme (MMDP). The MMDP is a three-month programme in which migration practitioners from around the world come to Maastricht to study both theoretical and practical issues related to migration management, migration and development and migration policy. Participants in 2018 came from nine countries, representing the Balkan region, the South Caucasus area, East, West and Southern Africa and Southern Asia. The programme is sponsored by the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) and the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice. For more information about the programme, please email or visit our website. |
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Online Courses For those who are interested but do not have the time to take a full-time course in migration studies, UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance offer a number of specially designed online courses to suit the needs of busy professionals. We currently offer three courses that can be started at any time: 1) Introduction to Migration Studies; 2) Migration and Remittance Effects; and 3) Comparative Migration Policy. Watch introduction videos for the course on our YouTube channel (internal migration/ forced migration). For further information, please contact PhD fellow Katrin Marchand. |
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NEW PUBLICATIONS |
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Skeldon, Ronald, 2018, International migration, internal migration, mobility and urbanization: Towards more integrated approaches, IOM Migration Research Series No 53, International Organization for Migration (IOM) Geneva, More information Kuschminder, Katherine, Aug 2018, Deciding Which Road to Take: Insights into How Migrants and Refugees in Greece Plan Onward Movement, Migration Policy Institute Issue Brief, More information Marchand, Katrin & Josette Dijkhuizen, 2018, Entrepreneurship as a Tool for a New Beginning - Entrepreneurship Training for Refugees in a New Homeland, in: Nikolaos Apostolopoulos, Haya Al-Dajani, Diane Holt, Paul Jones, Robert Newbery (eds.), Entrepreneurship and the Sustainable Development Goals, Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, 135-150, More information Meshkovska, Biljana, 2018, Life after trafficking: (re) integration processes of women that have been trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Europe, PhD disertation Maastricht University / United Nations University Waidler, Jennifer, 2018, Social assistance and remittances and their role in the fight against poverty, PhD dissertation Maastricht University / United Nations University Stewart-Evans, Michael & Melissa Siegel, 2018, Left-behind men in Nicaragua: The rise of the Padre-Luchadores, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2018-034 More information Merkle, Ortrun, Jul 24, 2018, Migration and Corruption: How Women Pay a Heavy Toll, Panel "Transparency, Conspiracy, and Impunity" at the IPSA 25 World Congress of Political Science, Brisbane Australia, More information Nimeh, Zina, Katharina Koch & Nora Jasmin Ragab, 2018, Mapping and Study of the Jordanian Diaspora in Germany, commissioned by Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Development Agency) (GIZ), More information Koch, Katharina & Nora Jasmin Ragab, 2018, Mapping and Study of the Palestinian Diaspora in Germany, commissioned by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), More information Kuschminder, Katherine, Jul 2018, Survival Strategies for Fleeing Eritrea, Refugees Deeply, More information Kuschminder, Katherine, Jul 2018, A spurious relationship? Assisted voluntary return and development, in: Agnieszka Weinar, Saskia Bonjour, Lyubov Zhyznomirska, The Routledge Handbook of the Politics of Migration in Europe, Routledge, New York, More information |
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Photo Credits: H. Pijpers, S. Brodin, A. Leerkes, [18] Flickr: Albertogp123 | ||
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