Immigration to Poland in the light of the Act of December 12, 2013 on foreigners

Author(s): Edyta Koper / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

The subject of this study is the analysis of the Act on foreigners from 2013 as the latest legal document regarding immigration to Poland. The Act clearly sets out the rules and conditions for entry of migrants, their stay in Poland, transit and departure from it, as well as the procedure and competent authorities in these matters. Thus, it reflects the essence and specifics of the migration policy undertaken by the Polish government. The most important issues are the consequences of changes in the areas of permanent and temporary residence, work and study as well as amendments. The aim of the study is to present not only the provisions of the Act referring to foreigners, but also its implementation on the formal and pragmatic level.

Brexit and Beyond: Transforming Mobility and Immobility

Author(s): Majella Kilkey,Aneta Piekut,Louise Ryan / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

This Guest Editorial introduces a special issue entitled Brexit and Beyond: Transforming Mobility and Immobility. The unfolding story of Brexit provided the backdrop to a series of events, organised in 2018 and 2019, which were the result of a collaboration between migration researchers in Warsaw and the UK, funded by the Noble Foundation’s Programme on Modern Poland. The largest event – held in association with IMISCOE – was an international conference, arising from which we invited authors to contribute papers to this special issue on the implications of Brexit for the mobility and im-mobility of EU citizens, particularly – but not exclusively – from Central and Eastern Europe, living in the UK. As we outline in this Editorial, collectively, the papers comprising the special issue address three key themes: everyday implications and ‘living with Brexit’; renegotiating the ‘intentional unpre-dictability’ status and settling down; and planning the future and the return to countries of origin. In addition, we include an interview with Professor Nira Yuval-Davis, based on the substance of her clos-ing plenary at the conference – racialisation and bordering. Her insightful analysis remains salient to the current situation – in June 2020, as the UK enters the final months of the Brexit transition period – in the unexpected midst of a global pandemic and an imminent recession.

Talking about Bordering

Author(s): Louise Ryan,Nira Yuval-Davis / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

In the summer of 2019 as the UK was in the midst of heated Brexit debates and Theresa May’s minority gov-ernment clung on to power, Professor Louise Ryan interviewed Professor Nira Yuval-Davis about her recent book Bordering (Yuval-Davis, Wemyss and Cassidy 2019). Although things have changed in some signifi-cant ways since that interview, for example Boris Johnson has now replaced Theresa May as Prime Minister, and won a landslide election victory in December, 2019, and the controversial Brexit Bill was passed by the British Parliament, many of the issues about borders and bordering remain extremely relevant today. The current pandemic has not only revealed Britain’s dependence on migrant workers, especially in health and social care, but also exposed health inequalities among migrants and ethnic minorities. As the post-Brexit immigration landscape begins to emerge, the analysis of Nira Yuval Davis remains as pertinent as ever.

The Emotional Geographies of Migration and Brexit: Tales of Unbelonging

Author(s): Rosa Mas Giralt / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

This article focuses on the emotionality of belonging among European Union (EU) citizens in the con-text of the United Kingdom’s (UK) 2016 referendum and its result in favour of the UK leaving the EU, commonly referred to as Brexit. Drawing from testimonies of EU27 citizens in the UK (mainly mid- to long-term residents) published in a book and on blog and Twitter accounts by the not-for-profit and non-political initiative, the ‘In Limbo Project’, it explores a range of emotions which characterise the affective impact of Brexit and how they underpin two key processes disrupting the sense of belonging of EU citizens: the acquisition of ‘migrantness’ and the non-recognition of the contributions and efforts made to belong. The resulting narratives are characterised by senses of ‘unbelonging’, where process-es of social bonding and membership are disrupted and ‘undone’. These processes are characterised by a lack of intersubjective recognition in the private, legal and communal spheres, with ambivalent impacts on EU citizens’ longer-term plans to stay or to leave and wider implications for community re-lations in a post-Brexit society.

Liminal Lives: Navigating In-Betweenness in the Case of Bulgarian and Italian Migrants in Brexiting Britain

Author(s): Elena Genova,Elisabetta Zontini / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

The UK’s decision to leave the EU illustrates some of the tensions embedded in European integration, enabling us to examine how nationalism and cosmopolitanism operate simultaneously, thus reinforcing each other. Furthermore, the prolonged Brexit negotiations have created a climate of protracted inse-curity where the only certainty is uncertainty. This is particularly reflected in the migratory experienc-es of European citizens currently residing in the UK. Academic research has begun exploring the affec-tive impact of Brexit; however, little is known about how processes of connection and disconnection operate simultaneously, nor which coping strategies European migrants have employed to navigate this state of in-betweenness. Using the anthropological notion of liminality as a lens, we draw on partici-pant observation and semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of Brexit and the coping practices of a range of (new) Bulgarian and (old) Italian European migrants. We argue that Brexit results in a loss of frames of reference for European migrants in the UK – which can be both liberating and unsettling, depending on migrants’ positioning as unequal EU subjects as well as their views on the nature of their future re-incorporation in post-Brexit Britain.

Migrant Experiences of Conviviality in the Context of Brexit: Polish Migrant Women in Manchester

Author(s): Alina Rzepnikowska / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

This paper explores how people live together in different places in the context of Brexit. This issue seems more relevant than ever due to the continued attention being paid to immigration, identity and nation and raising questions about conviviality – understood in this paper as a process of living and interacting together in shared spaces. Building on my earlier research in 2012/13 and drawing on qualitative interviews conducted with Polish migrant women after the EU referendum in 2016, this pa-per explores the complexity of my participants’ everyday interactions with the local population in Manchester in the context of Brexit, viewed by many as a disruptive event impacting on social rela-tions. The paper shows that conviviality is a highly dynamic process influenced by spatio-temporal characteristics, revealing not only tensions but also various forms of conviviality, in some cases sustained over time. It illustrates that, while Brexit poses challenges to conviviality, there are instances of thriving and sustained conviviality that endures despite exclusionary anti-immigration rhetoric. The paper also reflects on the possibilities of maintain-ing social connections and belonging in the context of Brexit, whereby some migrants become more rooted in their local areas and are likely to be settled on a more permanent basis, contrary to earlier assumptions that post--accession migrants are temporary.

Going Back, Staying Put, Moving On: Brexit and the Future Imaginaries of Central and Eastern European Young People in Britain

Author(s): Daniela Sime,Marta Moskal,Naomi Tyrrell / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

This paper explores the ways in which young people aged 12 to 18 who were born in Central and EasternEuropean EU countries but now live in the United Kingdom construct their future imaginaries in the contextof Brexit. It reports on findings from a large-scale survey, focus groups and family case studies to bring anoriginal perspective on young migrants’ plans for the future, including mobility and citizenship plans, andconcerns over how Britain’s decision to leave the European Union might impact them. While most of theyoung people planned to stay in Britain for the immediate future, it was clear that Brexit had triggeredchanges to their long-term plans. These concerns were linked to uncertainties over access to education andthe labour market for EU nationals post-Brexit, the precarity of their legal status and their overall concernsover an increase in racism and xenophobia. While our young research participants expressed a strong senseof European identity, their imaginaries rarely featured ‘going back’ to their country of birth and insteadincluded narratives of moving on to more attractive, often unfamiliar, destinations. The reasons and dynamics behind these plans are discussed by drawing on theories of transnational belonging

Push, Pull and Brexit: Polish Migrants’ Perceptions of Factors Discouraging them from Staying in the UK

Author(s): Barbara Jancewicz,Weronika Kloc-Nowak,Dominika Pszczółkowska / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

The fate of European citizens living in the United Kingdom was a key issue linked with Britain’s depar-ture from the European Union. Official statistics show that some outflow has taken place, but it was no Brexodus. This article investigates Brexit’s impact within a theoretical (push–pull) framework using a survey of long-term Polish migrants in the UK (CAPI, N = 472, conducted in 2018). Our results show that the perception of Brexit as a factor discouraging migrants from staying in the UK was limited. Still, those with experience of living in other countries, those remitting to Poland, and those on welfare benefits, were more likely to find Brexit discouraging. However, many claimed that the referendum nudged them towards extending their stay instead of shortening it. In general, when asked about what encour-ages/discourages them from staying in the UK, the respondents mainly chose factors related to the job market. Therefore, we argue, in line with Kilkey and Ryan (2020), that the referendum was an unset-tling event – but, considering the strong economic incentives for Polish migrants to stay in the UK, we can expect Brexit to have a limited influence on any further outflows of migrants, as long as Britain’s economic situation does not deteriorate.

The Impact of Brexit on Young Poles and Lithuanians in the UK: Reinforced Temporariness of Migration Decisions

Author(s): Luka Klimavičiūtė,Violetta Parutis,Dovilė Jonavičienė,Mateusz Karolak,Iga Wermińska-Wiśnicka / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

The main aim of this paper is to assess the extent to which the 2016 Brexit referendum impacted on the decisions of young Polish and Lithuanian migrants to stay in the UK or return to the country of origin. We analyse information from 76 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Lithuanians and Poles living in the UK, as well as those who have returned to Lithuania and Poland since June 2016. We find that, for our interviewees, the referendum had little impact on the decision to stay in the UK or return to the country of origin, giving way, instead, to work, family and lifestyle considerations. Only for a select few did it act as a trigger, either adding to other reasons which eventually prompted the return to Lithuania or Poland, or motivating people to secure their rights in the UK and delay plans to leave the country. We con-clude by discussing our results together with existing research on transnationalism and life-course mi-gration theory: regardless of interviewees’ decisions to stay or return, these were never final, stressing the fluid nature of migration and the desire of our interviewees to maintain ties across multiple places.

Looking Beyond the Influence of Origin and Destination Factors: The Role of Spillovers in Migration from Spain to Europe

Author(s): María Gutiérrez-Portilla,Adolfo Maza,María Hierro / Language(s): English Issue: 06/2020

This paper analyses the factors involved in out-migration of the working-age native population from Spain to European countries during and after the Great Recession (2008 – 2016), accounting for the role of spatial spillovers through a spatial panel Durbin model. Furthermore, the study provides a comparative analysis between young and adult out-migrants to explore whether they hold different motivations. The findings reveal that out-migration of natives responded mainly to labour incentives and social protection expenditure, although the presence of amenities also mattered. Furthermore, they point to the relevance of social networks of former Spanish out-migrants residing in Europe as a pull factor, being this effect higher for young than for adult out-migrants. Finally, results disclose, regardless of the age group, the existence of very remarkable spatial spillovers.

Different Types of Solidarity in Times of Crises

Author(s): István Grajczjár,Zsófia Nagy,Antal Örkény / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

The aim of this paper is to map and contrast recent developments in attitudes towards different types of solidarity in Austria and Hungary. The context of the paper is that the economic and the so-called ‘refugee’ crisis and its social and political consequences have fundamentally affected European attitudes towards solidarity. Such times of crisis are often seen as providing ample opportunities for the populist radical right to prosper. Nevertheless, the above developments do not necessarily mean a weakening of solidarity as its forms may change and its meanings become contested. Based on a comparison of Austrian and Hungarian results of the ESS round 8 (2016) the article – with the help of k-means cluster and multinomial logistic regression analyses – examines what solidarity positions can be observed and contrasted and how they may be linked step-by-step to 1) objective socio-demographic variables, 2) subjective perceptions at the micro-level (like social trust, well-being, and feelings of insecurity), 3) subjective perceptions at the macro-level (like institutional and political trust, attachment to country and the EU), moreover 4) to different values and attitudes like xenophobia, homophobia, conformism or statism on the one hand, and, 5) to political orientations and voting intentions on the other.

DÜZENSİZ GÖÇ KAPSAMINDA AB İLERLEME RAPORLARININ TÜRKİYE ÜZERİNDEKİ ETKİLERİ

Author(s): RAMAZAN TURAN,Feyzullah ÜNAL / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 4/2020

Every year, tens of thousands of irregular migrants try to cross into European countries via Turkey. The phenomenon of irregular migration has been one of the biggest problems of Turkey and especially of the European Union. Turkey is seen as a gateway to Europe by Asian and African migrants who want to have better living standards due to its geographical location. While Turkey was transit country from the 1960s to the early 2000s, it became also destination country after the 2000s as well as a transit country Each year, the European Union issues progress reports for each candidate country, showing the extent to which the country has complied with the Copenhagen criteria in various areas and making recommendations. Although these progress reports are not legally binding for the candidate country, they are of serious importance for the entry of the candidate country into the Union. These reports for Turkey started in 1998 and have been organized every year until today. In this study, the criticisms brought under the heading of irregular migration in the progress reports prepared by the EU for Turkey by using qualitative research method were analyzed and the effects of these criticisms on Turkey were discussed and the measures to be taken were explained

Anonimowi, nawet po śmierci

Author(s): Ula Idzikowska / Language(s): Polish Issue: 785/2020

Jak dzieci rodziców na polskość namawiały

Author(s): Weronika Rzeżutka,Bartosz Wróblewski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 787/2020

MORGENTHAU, TUTUCU AKTÖR VE DÜZENSİZ GÖÇ: TÜRKİYE’NİN ORTADOĞU STRATEJİSİNİN GÖÇ ALAN ÜLKE OLMASIYLA İLİŞKİSİ

Author(s): Celil Yiğit,Seda Gürel / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 2/2020

The obliviousness of the international relations theories to the field of migration creates a huge gap in this literature. This study has the characteristics of an introduction to this field in the context of international relations theories. In this direction, this study aims to explain the migration flow to Turkey in the last decade in the line with a theoretical and historical perspective. First of all, this study will aim to examine migration flow to Turkey accordingly Hans Morgenthau’s holder/balancer concept in Realist paradigm. So, in this research it is claimed that Turkey became a holder actor after 2008 and this holder role changes the route of migration flows to Turkey. In order to test the hypothesis, some examples about Turkish attitudes toward regional crises will be presented. Secondly, this study will mention about Turkey’s deep sociocultural bonds with its region. It will also be asserted that when this bond is combined with imperial consciousness of Turkey, it makes Turkey closer to the region and provides an opportunity to expand its area of influence to the Middle East. On the other hand, in this study, factors such as government ideologies, leader perspectives, geographical locations are overlooked and the issue has been tried to be scrutinised in order to be a unique scientific and theoretical approach.

Latin American immigrant mothers in Spain: Perceived challenges and opportunities

Author(s): Elizabeth Berrocal / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

The researcher conducted semi-structured audio-recorded interviews of 13 mothers and expectant mothers who had migrated to Spain from Latin America. Qualitative analysis revealed several themes, including Challenges in Spain and Opportunities in Spain. Challenges were of three main types: personal and relationship challenges, economic challenges, and perceived racism and stereotyping. Opportunities were also of three primary types: future opportunities for the Latinas’ children, increased safety, and greater personal independence. None of the women mentioned the possibility of returning to their country of origin, suggesting that perceived opportunities in Spain outweighed the challenges they faced. The findings are considered from the perspective of the empowerment of immigrant Latina mothers in Spain. While interview responses gave little evidence of economic, educational, social, or political empowerment, they did suggest that the women demonstrated considerable psychological empowerment, including resilience, perseverance, and determination to move forward despite challenges.

Hungarian international migrations in the Carpathian Basin, 2011-2017

Author(s): Áron Kincses / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

International migration into Hungary is markedly differentiated into two levels: the global migration effect, and the processes flowing between Hungary and its neighbouring countries, which date back a long time. The main characteristic of international migration in Hungary is that the largest part of the immigrant population is of Hungarian nationality. Population movements in the late 1980s and early 1990s made it clear that the demographic processes taking place in the Hungarian linguistic community – despite the fragmentation occurring in 1918, and the nearly 100 year old ‘distributed development’ – can only fully understood if we examine them together, as a single process. It is important to recognise that demographic processes within and outside of the current border are similar in nature. All that is happening in Hungary is only part of the demographic processes of the Hungarian language community. The migration processes described in the paper would have a significant impact on the ethnic spatial structure of the Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin if the number of other ethnicities did not decrease similarly. Strengthening the numbers of people staying in their home country, increasing the number of return migrations and the fertility rates of local Hungarians could all be part a solution to the problem.

The impasse of Khilonjia identity in Assam

Author(s): Debajyoti Biswas / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

After a six-year long student agitation led by All Assam Students' Union (AASU) the Government of India signed an Assam Accord on 15th August 1985 which ensured to initiate the process of identification of illegal immigrants and their subsequent deportation from India. In order to give effect to this task, the National Register of Citizens needed to be updated. However even after thrity years the clauses of the Accord was not implemented in letter and spirit bringing about much social turmoil that saw the death of hundreds and thousands of ill fated victims. Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty through her work explores the entire history that exposes the failure of the government machinaries, the malafide intention of the various political parties and the suffering of the Assamese people. This review analyses threadbare the variuos dimensions that the books opens up

New versus Established Migrants in a Competitive Labor Market

Author(s): Diana Mariana Popa / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2019

The Netherlands is a relatively new, attractive, but less researched destination for Central East European migrants, who compete on the Dutch labor market with more established migrant groups. Relying on data from the European Social Survey, the present article addresses the following questions: What is the employment status of CEE migrants in the Netherlands? How likely is it that CEE migrants will be satisfied with their income in the Netherlands? Does the region of origin influence the likelihood of having a comfortable income in the Netherlands? To this end, the article compares CEE migrants with the dominant migrant groups found in the Netherlands. Findings show that CEE migrants are likely to be satisfied with their income levels in their new host country. Education levels but also region of origin have an impact on the likelihood of living comfortably with the current income level.

Making sense of the constellations of (im)mobility of Bangladeshi migrants in Greece

Author(s): Laukia-Maria Fratsea,Apostolos G. Papadopoulos / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2021

Over the last three decades of the 20thcentury, Greece was transformed from an emigration into an immigration country and, more recently, into a country combining emigration and immigration. Initially, immigration from the ‘Balkans’ was at the heart of the country’s migration debates. However, since the early 2000s, migration inflows have been highly differentiated, and the numbers have increased for both Asian and African migrants. During the era of austerity, Bangladeshis have followed diverse employment pathways and spatial trajectories. Their so-called ‘constellations of (im)mobility’ cover an array of socio-spatial mobility patterns, ranging from being entrapped in precarious jobs to gaining access to/ striving towards more prestigious occupational positions (self-employed occupations).Drawing on recent empirical research, this paper seeks to explore the multidimensional precarity of Bangladeshi migrants living in Greek urban and rural areas. Given the dynamic interplay between macro-and micro-level processes, it also discusses aspects of agency along with practices and strategies for improving the well-being of Bangladeshi migrants in the host society.