THEMIS
Theorizing the Evolution of European Migration Systems
A fresh look at how patterns of migration to Europe develop, focusing on the conditions that encourage initial moves by pioneer migrants to become established migration systems (or not). Seeking to bridge the theories on the initiation and continuation of migration, and to integrate the concept of agency in a systems theory approach.
It is sometimes suggested that migration patterns evolve following a trajectory where individuals start to move from one country to another, and over time, more people join them: once a critical mass is reached, that migration flow expands rapidly. However, there is not enough evidence to back up this theory of migration dynamics partly because studies to date have tended to focus either on the ‘root causes’ of migration or on the reasons why migration processes gain momentum and become established migration systems. A related issue is lack of theory to explain why many initial pioneer migration movements do not set in motion self-reinforcing migration dynamics. Current theories also fail to explain adequately the stagnation and weakening of established migration systems.
The THEMIS international project team investigated what makes people decide to migrate, why some of those initial moves to Europe result in the formation of significant migration systems, and why some migration processes simply tail off or stagnate. This involved a comparative study of the evolution of migrant groups following different migration trajectories from several regions of three origin countries (Brazil, Morocco and Ukraine ) to selected cities in four destination countries (UK, Norway, the Netherlands and Portugal).
Our Team.
THEMIS Working Papers.
No. 49 | 2011
Contextualizing immigrant inter-wave dynamics and the consequences for migration processes: Ukrainians in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands
Agnieszka Kubal, Rianne Dekker
migration system, cumulative causation, Ukrainian migration, pioneer migrants, migration waves, United Kingdom, Netherlands
More Information.
Duration: 2010-2014
Data
Following the conclusion of the project in 2014 the project datasets and metadata have been deposited for secure archive in the UK Data Service. The data include surveys conducted in both areas of origin in Brazil, Morocco and Ukraine (total 1,246 respondents) and destinations in Norway, Portugal, the Netherlands and the UK (total 2,859 respondents).
The THEMIS project also gathered a large volume of qualitative data through over 630 semi-structured interviews. The interview guidelines were published but it has not been possible to make available the interviews, although the project team will consider requests from researchers who would like access to transcripts.
Download the metadata
If you draw on this information for your qualitative or quantitative research, please cite the material in the following way:
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International Migration Institute, University of Oxford; Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam; Instituto de Geografia e Ordenamento do Territorio da Universidade de Lisboa; Peace Research Institute Oslo. (2015). Theorizing the Evolution of European Migration Systems, 2010-2013: Special Licence Access. [data collection]. UK Data Service. SN: 7771, http://dx.doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-7771-1.
Funding
THEMIS was funded by ‘New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Co-operation in Europe’ (NORFACE) through their Research Programme on Migration. At the time IMI was a member of the Oxford Martin School, which provided additional funding to match the IMI portion of the THEMIS grant from NORFACE.
Partners
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Research Group on Citizenship, Migration and the City (EUR)
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Professor Godfried Engbersen (THEMIS Co-Applicant)
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Sanne van de Pol
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Rianne Dekker
Peace Research Institute Oslo(PRIO)
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Professor Cindy Horst (THEMIS Co-Applicant)
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Tatyana Tkachenko
University of Lisbon
Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning (IGOT-UL)
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Professor Maria Lucinda Fonseca (THEMIS Co-Applicant)
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Dr Jennifer McGarrigle
Scientific Advisory Committee
This panel of migration research experts provides informal support and advice to our research team. We are very grateful to the members for their contributions during the course of the project:
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Professor Joaquín Arango (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
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Dr Christina Boswell (Edinburgh University)
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Professor Sara Curran (Seattle University)
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Professor Timothy Hatton (University of Essex/Australian National University)
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Professor Ceri Peach (Oxford University, Department of Geography)
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Professor Ronald Skeldon (University of Sussex)
Timeline
Phase 1
Phase 1 involved the development of our conceptual theory and producing scoping studies in all 4 destinations countries for our 6 shortlisted countries of origin: Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, India, Morocco and Ukraine.
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The evolution of Brazilian migration to the UK Scoping Study
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The evolution of Ukrainian migration to the UK Scoping Study
Phase 2
During Phase 2 semi-structured qualitative interviews were carried out in 1 or 2 localities within all 4 THEMIS destination countries, with migrants arrived from each of Brazil, Morocco and Ukraine. Relationships were established with relevant local migrant organizations and communities to locate interviewees and to increase our understanding of heterogeneity of migration patterns by these groups.
Phase 3
Phase 3 - with semi-structured qualitative interviews in Brazil, Morocco and Ukraine. In each country, working with local research partners, interviews were carried out with return migrants, and with family members of migrants with links to the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal or the UK. [Several sampling localities per origin country were chosen based on migration histories mapped from Phase 2 data].
Phase 4
Quantitative data was collected in Phase 4 with surveys in both destination and then origin countries. Data and knowledge gained from earlier THEMIS phases was used to develop detailed hypotheses about how migration systems evolve and to develop appropriate survey instruments for testing these.
Phase 5
The final formal phase involved analysis our qualitative and quantitative data and testing hypotheses derived from our initial theoretical synthesis. At our THEMIS international migration conference 'Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks an Beyond', Oxford, 24-26 September 2013, we reflected on findings and discussed widely with visiting researchers. This all fed back into our theoretical framework and led towards the formulation of an improved migration systems theory.
THEMIS Conference | Examining Migration Dynamics: Networks and Beyond
Tuesday, 24 September 2013 to Thursday, 26 September 2013
Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford
Why do some migrants set off the movement of thousands of people, while others are followed only by a few, or remain virtually alone in the destination country? Some answers can be found in the variation in economic and social conditions in different places. Another vital part of the puzzle relates to the historical, social and cultural practices of migration: those who move now are following in the footsteps of those who left before. This conference examines how enduring patterns of migration emerge, are sustained and decline; the mechanisms by which the migration processes of yesterday influence those of today; and the role of the migrant as a social actor in the face of these historical and social processes.
The conference will take an inter-disciplinary approach to migration dynamics drawing on comparative studies of international and internal migration processes and will include contributions covering both origin and destination countries/regions.
Keynote speakers
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Thomas Faist (Bielefeld University)
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Douglas Massey (Princeton University)
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Ewa Morawska (University of Essex)
With THEMIS project keynote presentations by Oliver Bakewell, Cindy Horst and Godfried Engbersen.
The concluding plenary session was led by Lucinda Fonseca.