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Advancing Alternative Migration Governance

AdMiGov is designed to create indicators of how “good migration governance” could look like. As below model shows, the project is structured around three fields of migration governance (WP1 Entry, WP2 Exit and WP3 Circular and temporary schemes) and two UN principles (WP4/5 Protection and WP6 Sustainable Development). The fields and the principles interact.

From the fieldwork in work package 1 to 6 conclusions are drawn in work package 7 that summarizes the indicators of “good” (?) migration governance. In work package 8 the results are disseminated.

 

WP1 Entry governance

Leader: Dr. Julien Jeandesboz (Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium).
Research team: Dr. Polly Pallister-Wilkins (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Prof. Evythimios (Akis) Papataxiarchis and Dr. Illias Pistikos (University of the Aegean, Greece), Dr. Martin Lemberg-Pedersen and Oliver Joel Halpern (Copenhagen University, Denmark), Dr. Markus Gonzalez Beilfuss and Julia Koopmans (University of Barcelona, Spain), Prof. Patrycja Matusz and Eririni Aivalioutou (Wroclaw University, Poland).

In the work package on Entry, our team will make an institutional and legal mapping of regular entry governance. The specialists on political economy will analyse which private actors are involved in Entry governance. Additionally, we will investigate three on-the-ground situations: a sea border, a land border and a highly sophisticated air border. In the final report we will determine criteria for sustainable entry governance.

 

WP2 Exit governance

Leader: Dr. Barak Kalir (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands)
Research team: Arja Oomkens, Janis Geschke and Wendelien Barkema (University of Amsterdam) Dr. Martin Lemberg-Pedersen and Oliver Joel Halpern (Copenhagen University, Denmark), Dr. Markus Gonzalez Beilfuss and Julia Koopmans (University of Barcelona, Spain), Dr. Julien Jeandesboz (Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium) Dr. Katie Kuschminder and Talitha Dubow (University of Maastricht, the Netherlands).

In the work package on Exit our team will make an overview of regular exit governance, including a) deportation, and b) voluntary assisted return. Deportation is investigated in more detail with qualitative research in Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain, looking into the feasibility, efficiency and investment-return ratio of the operative models. The viewpoints of representatives of Frontex and civil society initiatives are also considered. Voluntary return is investigated with in-depth interviews with returnees in Senegal, Albania and Iraq to see whether sustainable reintegration is possible.  In the final report we will explore and suggest realistic, safer, more orderly and humane exit regimes for EU countries.

 

WP3 Circular and temporary schemes

Leader: Prof Patrycja Matusz (Wroclaw University, Poland)
Research team: Dr. Jeroen Doomernik, Vincenzo Gomes and Wendelien Barkema (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Dr. Blanca Garcés-Mascareñas and Dr. Berta Guell (CIDOB, Spain), Eririni Aivalioutou (Wroclaw University, Poland).

In this work package we will first make an inventory of existing labour immigration schemes in EU member states for temporary and permanent immigration. To understand better how labour shortages are met in practice, we will conduct interviews in Poland, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain with employers, their national/regional/local organisations, trade unions and migrant organisations in order to understand the present and preferred hiring and employment practices regarding labour migrants. We will conclude with good governance recommendations in this field.

 

WP4 Protection in the borderlands of Europe

Leader: Prof. Evythimios (Akis) Papataxiarchis (University of the Aegean, Greece)
Research team:  Dr. Polly Pallister-Wilkins and Prof. Marlies Glasius (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Dr. Alexandra Zavos and Natasha Anastasiadou (University of the Aegean, Greece), Dr. Aysen Üstübici, and Dr. Sibel Karadağ (Koç University, Turkey), Dr. Gabriella Trovato and Dr. Nayla Al-Akl (American University of Beirut, Lebanon).

On both sides of the borders of Europe, extremely problematic situations have arisen due to failures in protection that became more salient in times of crisis, when the number of incoming refugees and migrants clearly surpassed the capacity of the existing structures. Fieldwork on the Greek islands, in Turkish cities with high numbers of refugees and in Lebanese informal refugee settlements will provide better understanding of where UN principles collide with the situation on the ground.  Recommendations will include suggestions made by volunteers and activists to create a more acceptable situation.

 

WP5 Protection: people on the move

Leader: Feliciana Rengo (Danish Refugee Council, Denmark)
Research team: Linnea Kessing, Roberto Forin (Danish Refugee Council, Denmark) Dr. Anja van Heelsum (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands)

This work package focuses on experiences on the way. A large survey will be held among migrants who managed to arrive in Greece and Italy, focusing on their experiences ‘en route’ through Asia, Africa and Europe. Where did they come from, where did they pass through, why did they decide not to stay in those countries, and most importantly: what protection needs, lack of protection and livelihood options influenced their decisions?

 

WP6 Development

Leader: Dr. Katie Kuschminder (University of Maastricht, the Netherlands)
Research team: Dr. Iman Rejabzadeh (University of Maastricht, the Netherlands)  Dr. Aysen Üstübici, Dr. Prof. Ahmet İçduygu, Dr. Ezgi Elçi and Eda Kirişçioğlu (Koç University, Turkey), Dr. Gabriella Trovato and dr. Nayla Al-Akl  (American University of Beirut, Lebanon), Dr. Asmamaw Bahir and Dr. Mohammed Assen (Addis Abeba University, Ethiopia), Dr. Fransje Moolenaar and Dr. Johannes Claes (Clingendael Institute, the Netherlands).

This work package focuses on the relationship between development interventions and migrant decision-making in terms of the initial decision to migrate and the return decision, alongside decision-making in ‘transit’ countries or countries of first reception. Four selected case studies represent a mix of contexts and migration flows, namely Turkey and Lebanon as both near the EU, and with huge refugee populations; and Mali and Ethiopia, further away, two poor countries with high proportions of emigration, where development funding also heavily targets the local population. Besides their own populations with large numbers of eager youngsters fighting to improve their lives, both Mali and Ethiopia host refugees from neighbouring countries. Both a survey and in-depth interviews will be used in this WP to improve insights into how development interventions impact the migration decision.

 

WP7 Indicators of Good Migration Governance

Leader: Dr. Blanca Garcés-Mascareñas (CIDOB, Spain)
Research team: Dr. Elaine Lebon-McGregor and Prof. Melissa Siegel (University of Maastricht, the Netherlands), Dr. Fransesco Pasetti and Carlota Cumella de Montserrat (CIDOB, Spain).

In this work package a set of indicators of good migration governance will be produced, based on some existing ones but also including elements that came up in the earlier work packages. As in the case of MIPEX, these indicators can be used to compare countries and to see where improvements are needed. The method will be published on this website.

 

WP8 Dissemination

Leader: Dr. Aysen Üstübici and Dr. Nilay Kavur (University of Koç, Turkey)
Team: video maker Bris Ozcan + all reseachers

The results of our research will be presented to the public, policymakers and other interest groups via this website, Twitter, MOOCS, policy briefs, workshops and conferences.

 

WP9 Management

Coordinator: Dr. Anja van Heelsum (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands)
Manager: Dr. Dorota Lepianka (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands)
Finance: Erik van Loon (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands).