WELCOME to our final quarterly migration newsletter of 2014, keeping you up-to-date on our migration activities, events and publications at UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance. | ||
ANNOUNCEMENTS |
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UNU Migration Network Joins Global Migration Group On 8 June 2014, UNU was formally offered membership of the Global Migration Group (GMG). This membership reflects recognition of the valuable expertise on migration offered by the UNU Migration Network. On this day, Parvati Nair, Director of UNU-GCM, which acts as the focal point for the coordination of the UNU Migration Network, was present as an observer at the Principals’ meeting that took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. She confirmed that UNU looks forward to working closely with other agencies in the GMG. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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An Evaluation of Tax-Benefit Systems Impact on the Welfare of Frontier Workers. The Case of Luxembourg and Belgium On 18 November, Irina Burlacu will defend her PhD thesis entitled: An Evaluation of Tax-Benefit Systems Impact on the Welfare of Frontier Workers. The Case of Luxembourg and Belgium" in the Aula at Maastricht University at 4pm. The thesis is about the differences in social security systems and taxes in the European Union’s context (specifically in Luxembourg and Belgium) and how these affect the income of individuals who reside in one country, but commute daily or weekly to another country for work, while keeping their residence place constant (called 'frontier workers'). To some extent, the study can also be related to the broader topic of free movement for work, touching upon questions like: how do different systems affect earners who work or have worked in different countries throughout their careers (e.g. researchers) and how does that impact their income? |
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Moving Back or Moving Forward? On 20 November, Marieke Van Houte will defend her PhD dissertation entitled ‘Moving back or moving forward? Return migration after conflict'. This thesis examines the circumstances under which migrants who return to their 'post conflict' country of origin can contribute to development and peace building. The thesis shows the discrepancy between policy and potential: while only a small group of voluntary returnees (who return while having the legal possibility to stay) are effectively in a position to contribute to development and peace building, this is not the group that is targeted by these budgets. Instead, the bulk of budgets assigned for migration and development goes to de facto involuntary returnees, who cannot be expected to meet these expectations. |
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Simultaneity in Transnational Migration Research On 21 November, Özge Bilgili will publicly defend her PhD thesis ‘Simultaneity in Transnational Migration Research: Links between Migrants’ Host and Home Country Orientation’. Her research reveals that the contacts migrants keep with their home country are a part of their life in the Netherlands, and migrants’ lives are defined both in relation to their contacts in their home country and in the Netherlands. Özge finds evidence that integration succeeds as long as migrants have the ability to choose the way they define their lives. Especially in a globalised world, integration policies should not deny migrants´ right to maintain cultural and social relations with their home country. |
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Migration Seminars On 17 September Dr. Victor Cebotari presented the first Migration Seminar of the academic year: ‘Migration and School Performance of Children Who Stay Behind in Moldova and Georgia’. Dr. Cebotari discussed some of the findings of a nationally representative survey conducted in 2011-2012 among children aged 11-19 and their caregivers in Moldova and Georgia. Results show a significant increase in school performance for children in returned migrant households, when both parents are abroad, when the child is in the care of a grandparent and when remittances are prioritized for education. The next seminar will take place on 15 October when Ozden Ocak, a visiting fellow at MACIMIDE, will share some of her work. To join our mailing list and receive invitations to future seminars please email: michaella.vanore@maastrichtuniversity.nl |
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PAST EVENTS |
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Female Return Migration and Reintegration Strategies in Ethiopia On 10 September, Katie Kuschminder successfully defended her PhD thesis ‘Female Return Migration and Reintegration Strategies in Ethiopia’. The objective of her research was to understand how different return migrants reintegrate through a comparative case study of three types of female returnees to Ethiopia: domestic workers, students, and professionals. In order to achieve this she developed a reintegration strategy approach based on four dimensions: Social networks, self-identification, cultural maintenance, and access to rights, institutions and labour markets. She concluded that one must consider reintegration holistically and as a multi-dimensional process. By understanding how people reintegrate we can better understand how people contribute to social changes and better target policies to enhance the positive developmental potential of return migration. Watch an interview with Dr. Kuschminder. |
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When is Migration a Security Issue? On 18 September Professor Khalid Koser delivered an inaugural lecture 'When is Migration a Security Issue?’ and accepted his appointment as Extraordinary Professor in Conflict, Peace and Security at the Faculty of Humanities and Sciences of Maastricht University. Prof. Koser argued the need to view security as just one component of managing migration. In the area of migration perception is often removed from reality. Yes, migration can be a security issue, he said, but it should be viewed much more broadly. This requires strong political leadership, responsible media and education. Watch the full lecture. |
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TRAINING PROGRAMMES |
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Migration Management Diploma Programme Later this year we will open applications for our third year of the Migration Management Diploma Programme (MMDP). The programme is currently sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who offers scholarships to government officials from 40 developing countries with at least three years’ experience in the field of migration and/or asylum procedures. The programme will run again in 2015. If you are interested in receiving further information about the programme please email mmdp@maastrichtuniversity.nl. Watch a testimonial from one of our graduates. |
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Online Courses For those who are interested but do not have the time to take a full time course, UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance have specially designed a number of online courses to suit the needs of busy professionals interested in pursuing migration studies. Currently we 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. Keep your eye on our website for the launch of two new online courses later in 2014 on Forced Migration by Prof. Khalid Koser and on Internal Migration by Prof. Ronald Skeldon. |
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PUBLICATIONS |
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Left behind but not left alone: Parental migration & the psychosocial health of children in Moldova The study of the effects of migration on children and elderly left behind was the topic of a European funded research project implemented by UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance. This paper, by PhD fellow Michaella Vanore, Prof. dr. Valentina Mazzucato and Dr. Melissa Siegel is a first exploration of parental migration and child psychosocial health in Moldova. Notably the paper finds that parental migration is linked to few differences in child psychosocial outcomes. Specifically, maternal migration seldom leads to differences in child psychosocial health yet psychosocial health is more sensitive to parental migration among boys than girls. Read more |
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Does Shelter Assistance Reduce Poverty in Afghanistan? ‘Does Shelter Assistance Reduce Poverty in Afghanistan?’ assesses the UNHCR post-return shelter assistance programme in Afghanistan, 2009-2011. The working paper, by PhD fellow Craig Loschmann, Dr. Melissa Siegel and Christopher Parsons of the International Migration Institute, finds that the shelter assistance programme in Afghanistan provides clear benefits relating to basic accommodation, food security and dietary diversity. However, the authors warn against overly ambitious expectations, describing shelter assistance mainly as a valuable humanitarian intervention for the most vulnerable households. Read more |
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Return to Afghanistan: Migration as a Reinforcement of Socio-Economic Stratification In ‘Return to Afghanistan: Migration as a Reinforcement of Socio-Economic Stratification’, PhD fellow Marieke van Houte, Dr. Melissa Siegel and Tine Davids explore return migration to Afghanistan using the life stories of 35 Afghan returnees from European countries. The researchers argue that socio-economic differences that existed prior to migration are reinforced by the migration experience, which in return results in very different experiences of mobility and return. This serves as an important lesson for policy makers interested in return migration and development. Read more |
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Photo Credits : H. Pijpers, Ozden Ocak, DVIDSHUB / Flickr | ||
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