... is a complex process that puts pressure on countries and neighbours, and, more importantly, renders migrants and refugees particularly vulnerable. It addresses the questions: Why do migrants stay in transit? How do they experience this situation? What sustains transit migration and how can this be addressed? How do transit destination countries react and what challenges do they face? Three examples are used
This book is about the experience of transit outside and inside European borders and its impact on both the states and the people. Traditional approaches to migration put migrants into clear-cut categories: legal or illegal, new comers or settlers. This study explores the often-ignored phase in the migration process between emigration and settlement. The author argues that transit migration is a complex process that puts pressure on countries and neighbours, and, more importantly, renders migrants and refugees particularly vulnerable. It addresses the questions: Why do migrants stay in transit? How do they experience this situation? What sustains transit migration and how can this be addressed? How do transit destination countries react and what challenges do they face? Three examples are used to analyse transit migration Greece, North Africa and the CIS and Eastern Europe.
Subject terms:
migration, refugees;
Content type:
research
Location(s):
Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Greece, Europe, United Kingdom
Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 39(7), 2013, pp.1159-1175.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
The experiences of Colombian refugees living in London are analysed from a gendered perspective, based on qualitative fieldwork carried out between 2003 and 2007. First, it shows that these migration flows are remarkably heterogeneous and include threatened political activists in search of refuge, and asylum-seekers and others escaping insecurity and more-generalised violence, thus differing from more-traditional Latin American refugee movements to Europe. Secondly, it focuses on how gender, contexts of exit and arrival, class, type of refugee migration and life course, combine to frame the migration experiences of refugees in industrialised countries.
(Edited publisher abstract)
The experiences of Colombian refugees living in London are analysed from a gendered perspective, based on qualitative fieldwork carried out between 2003 and 2007. First, it shows that these migration flows are remarkably heterogeneous and include threatened political activists in search of refuge, and asylum-seekers and others escaping insecurity and more-generalised violence, thus differing from more-traditional Latin American refugee movements to Europe. Secondly, it focuses on how gender, contexts of exit and arrival, class, type of refugee migration and life course, combine to frame the migration experiences of refugees in industrialised countries.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Practice: Social Work in Action, 32(1), 2020, pp.59-71.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
In recent years, the numbers of refugees and migrants moving across borders has been unprecedented, with more than 68.5 million people around the world leaving their countries as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations. Their journeys are perilous, crossing dangerous waters, often leading to death of family members. Upon arrival in Europe they continue to struggle, refugees arriving in the UK remain uncoordinated, mostly provided by volunteers and non-governmental organisations. Drawing on the theoretical framework of social movements, this article offers a critique to current social work practices for refugees in the UK. Using the case of resettlement policies, it argues that sustainable social services to protect this vulnerable group could develop through the political opportunity structures created by non-governmental organisations. It concludes that community mobilisation can influence social work practice to better support the refugees.
(Publisher abstract)
In recent years, the numbers of refugees and migrants moving across borders has been unprecedented, with more than 68.5 million people around the world leaving their countries as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations. Their journeys are perilous, crossing dangerous waters, often leading to death of family members. Upon arrival in Europe they continue to struggle, often living in detention-like conditions, unable to access basic protection and being vulnerable to traffickers. Most European governments offer emergency relief, without a common framework for legal protection or a clear vision of what statutory social services should provide. Like many other European countries, in the UK, designated social services are also limited and formal efforts to support refugees arriving in the UK remain uncoordinated, mostly provided by volunteers and non-governmental organisations. Drawing on the theoretical framework of social movements, this article offers a critique to current social work practices for refugees in the UK. Using the case of resettlement policies, it argues that sustainable social services to protect this vulnerable group could develop through the political opportunity structures created by non-governmental organisations. It concludes that community mobilisation can influence social work practice to better support the refugees.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
politics, refugees, social work, resettlement, migration;
British Journal of Social Work, 42(6), 2012, pp.1074-1092.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
... population. A research project was carried out in Jordan and Cyprus in order to explore the living conditions of Iraqi refugees and to develop effective methods of social work interventions based on culturally competent practice. This particular article considers the lessons learned from Jordan. The data collection methods comprised semi-structured interviews with 10 Iraqi refugees and 10 professionals working with Iraqi refugees, and 2 focus groups of social workers and social advisors. The findings reveal the impact of migration into the social work role and values in Jordan. There is a need to focus on building skills, community-building efforts, empowerment, building capacities and self-sufficiency. It is highlighted that it is time to promote national policies and practices that demonstrate acknowledgement of different needs, to support the expansion of cultural knowledge and resources, and to advocate and safeguard the rights of refugees.
Following the 2003 USA-led invasion of Iraq, a significant number of displaced Iraqi citizens have fled from their country. Jordan, among other Arab countries, has opened its borders to Iraqi citizens, providing them with supporting services. This situation creates challenges for social work practitioners, as they have to provide additional and culturally appropriate services to this particular population. A research project was carried out in Jordan and Cyprus in order to explore the living conditions of Iraqi refugees and to develop effective methods of social work interventions based on culturally competent practice. This particular article considers the lessons learned from Jordan. The data collection methods comprised semi-structured interviews with 10 Iraqi refugees and 10 professionals working with Iraqi refugees, and 2 focus groups of social workers and social advisors. The findings reveal the impact of migration into the social work role and values in Jordan. There is a need to focus on building skills, community-building efforts, empowerment, building capacities and self-sufficiency. It is highlighted that it is time to promote national policies and practices that demonstrate acknowledgement of different needs, to support the expansion of cultural knowledge and resources, and to advocate and safeguard the rights of refugees.
Subject terms:
migration, multicultural approach, politics, refugees, social work;
Canadian Social Work Review, 28(1), 2011, pp.151-156.
Publisher:
Canadian Association for Social Work Education
This article arises from the work of a research project entitled Speak Out! which over the course of 3 years worked with queer and trans refugee communities living in Toronto and Montreal. The aim was to explore the trajectories of migration and experiences of the refugee determination process and settlement for refugees who occupy the intersections of sexual, gender and racialised identities. In total, 28 people were interviewed: 20 refugees, 6 refugee support workers or advocates, and 2 individuals who were members of both groups. The findings reveal how the Canadian refugee regime places particular burdens on sexual minority refugees. The forced re-telling of stories of persecution during the refugee determination process may be particularly traumatic for members of sexual minorities who
This article arises from the work of a research project entitled Speak Out! which over the course of 3 years worked with queer and trans refugee communities living in Toronto and Montreal. The aim was to explore the trajectories of migration and experiences of the refugee determination process and settlement for refugees who occupy the intersections of sexual, gender and racialised identities. In total, 28 people were interviewed: 20 refugees, 6 refugee support workers or advocates, and 2 individuals who were members of both groups. The findings reveal how the Canadian refugee regime places particular burdens on sexual minority refugees. The forced re-telling of stories of persecution during the refugee determination process may be particularly traumatic for members of sexual minorities who are repeated compelled to ‘come out’. The participants varied in their rejection, awareness or acceptance of Western identity labels to define themselves, indicating that their conceptualisations of sexual and gender identity are more complex and contested than the model of ‘gay’ or ‘trans’ currently in use in Canada. Implications for social work practice are discussed.
Subject terms:
LGBT people, migration, refugees, sexuality, gender;
New Community, published since 1971 is now published under the name of 'The Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies' to take account of the increasing relevance of migration and ethnic studies at a global level.
New Community, published since 1971 is now published under the name of 'The Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies' to take account of the increasing relevance of migration and ethnic studies at a global level.
The launch of the private sponsorship scheme, Community Sponsorship (CS), allowing individuals to resettle refugees in the UK, seems to be in contrast with the government’s approach towards immigration aimed to implement the hostile environment policy. Using frame analysis, this research looks at the diagnostic, prognostic and motivational framings used by policymakers in parliamentary debates
The launch of the private sponsorship scheme, Community Sponsorship (CS), allowing individuals to resettle refugees in the UK, seems to be in contrast with the government’s approach towards immigration aimed to implement the hostile environment policy. Using frame analysis, this research looks at the diagnostic, prognostic and motivational framings used by policymakers in parliamentary debates related to CS to understand how the scheme and the hostile environment coexist. The findings show how the used frames allow the government to manage refugee resettlement more as a tool of migration management rather than exclusively as a tool of international protection, and how this strategy implements the UK’s hostile environment.
Subject terms:
refugees, migration, resettlement, government policy, social policy, environmental factors;
British Journal of Social Work, 51(7), 2021, pp.2680-2702.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
... the most common were practice, intervention, health and mental health, while the least common topics included human rights, social justice, poverty, religion, violence, history and theory. Geographically, social work scholarship was mainly focused on refugees in the Global North and third-country resettlement contexts, and authored by scholars in the Global North. Findings thus reveal critical gaps
(Edited publisher abstract)
This scoping review identifies and analyses historical to present–day contributions of social work scholarship on forced migration, with the aim of reviewing trends and identifying priority areas for the discipline moving forward. This review examined 331 articles related to forced migration published in 40 social work journals over four decades (1978 to 2019). Findings illustrate notable trends in temporal, methodological, topical and geographical dimensions and how those vary by first authors' locations, research sites and study populations. Temporally, the number of articles has been increasing, quadrupling between 2001–2010 and 2011–2019, with 20 social work journals doubling their number of articles. Methodologically, the large majority of articles were qualitative and/or conceptual. Topically, the most common were practice, intervention, health and mental health, while the least common topics included human rights, social justice, poverty, religion, violence, history and theory. Geographically, social work scholarship was mainly focused on refugees in the Global North and third-country resettlement contexts, and authored by scholars in the Global North. Findings thus reveal critical gaps in topics and geographical biases, raising questions related to issues of ethics, power and the production of knowledge about forced migration in the social work academy.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
literature reviews, social work history, migration, refugees, social work, research;
Community Development Journal, 56(4), 2021, pp.587-607.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
The contemporary forced migration contexts of conflict, climate change and contagion present new challenges and opportunities for the ways in which community development is understood, practised and imagined. The accelerating trends of refugee persecution and high-impact weather events causing disasters now sit alongside the uncertainties of closed borders and rapidly evolving geopolitics. Despite these dislocations and constraints on human mobility and immobility, the possibilities for connection remain, although unevenly. Mediated predominantly through the smartphone, social media offers new opportunities, cautions and ethical considerations for the circulation of care, intimacy and trust. These flows can now significantly inform and shape everyday lives, political action and how ‘community’ is envisaged and enacted. In the ongoing context of dislocation and separation, this paper presents a longitudinal digital ethnography that examines how people from refugee backgrounds practise transnational connection and community when physical reunion is not possible. These online spaces represent opportunities to explore the implications for community development and more broadly social work education. Drawing upon the theoretical framework of the social organization of difference and its associated domains of encounters, configurations and representations, this paper articulates the possibilities and challenges for community development and more broadly social work education and practice when opportunities for physical co-presence are highly constrained.
(Edited publisher abstract)
The contemporary forced migration contexts of conflict, climate change and contagion present new challenges and opportunities for the ways in which community development is understood, practised and imagined. The accelerating trends of refugee persecution and high-impact weather events causing disasters now sit alongside the uncertainties of closed borders and rapidly evolving geopolitics. Despite these dislocations and constraints on human mobility and immobility, the possibilities for connection remain, although unevenly. Mediated predominantly through the smartphone, social media offers new opportunities, cautions and ethical considerations for the circulation of care, intimacy and trust. These flows can now significantly inform and shape everyday lives, political action and how ‘community’ is envisaged and enacted. In the ongoing context of dislocation and separation, this paper presents a longitudinal digital ethnography that examines how people from refugee backgrounds practise transnational connection and community when physical reunion is not possible. These online spaces represent opportunities to explore the implications for community development and more broadly social work education. Drawing upon the theoretical framework of the social organization of difference and its associated domains of encounters, configurations and representations, this paper articulates the possibilities and challenges for community development and more broadly social work education and practice when opportunities for physical co-presence are highly constrained.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
social networks, social media, migration, refugees, social isolation, social work education, community development;
Clinical Social Work Journal, 49(3), 2021, pp.325-335.
Publisher:
Springer
Place of publication:
New York
There is a lack of research on children’s acculturation processes following international migration. As such, this article presents a study conducted among 10 latency-age children (10–11 years old), living in Israel, whose parents were work migrants/refugees/asylum seekers, via their artwork and through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. The findings revealed that the migrant children expressed their acculturation and sense of belonging to the host country through three main themes: (1) a longing to have a room of their own; (2) a wish to separate and individuate, as is typical of pre-adolescents and adolescents universally; and (3) the need to rely on their youth movement as an alternative to the family and as a bridge to Israeli society. An examination of the weaknesses of the children’s microsystems and mesosystems highlights the need for continued efforts to strengthen their connection with the macrosystem, which provides them with a sense of home. Findings suggest that art is a useful mode of expression that can help migrant children explore their past, present, and future lives. They also highlight the importance of changing existing exclusionist policies in order to improve migrant children's sense of belonging and security.
(Edited publisher abstract)
There is a lack of research on children’s acculturation processes following international migration. As such, this article presents a study conducted among 10 latency-age children (10–11 years old), living in Israel, whose parents were work migrants/refugees/asylum seekers, via their artwork and through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. The findings revealed that the migrant children expressed their acculturation and sense of belonging to the host country through three main themes: (1) a longing to have a room of their own; (2) a wish to separate and individuate, as is typical of pre-adolescents and adolescents universally; and (3) the need to rely on their youth movement as an alternative to the family and as a bridge to Israeli society. An examination of the weaknesses of the children’s microsystems and mesosystems highlights the need for continued efforts to strengthen their connection with the macrosystem, which provides them with a sense of home. Findings suggest that art is a useful mode of expression that can help migrant children explore their past, present, and future lives. They also highlight the importance of changing existing exclusionist policies in order to improve migrant children's sense of belonging and security.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
children, migration, art therapy, migrants, refugees, asylum seekers;