Latin American and Caribbean experiences of migration, work and employment

Location
Nettlefold Room, Nicolson Building
Dates
Monday 2 November 2015 (11:45-17:30)
Contact

To register to attend this workshop please email Sarah Jeffery.

MIGRALAC image

Workshop leader: Dr Maria Villares, Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME)

In recent years there has been a proliferation of research on Latin American migration flows towards Europe and, more recently, the reversal of such flows in the wake of the economic crisis. With regard to research into Caribbean migration, research has tended to focus predominantly on postcolonial migration from former Caribbean colonies to European metropoles, and research has frequently been focused on the French, British, Spanish or Dutch Caribbean. However, despite the growing number of examples of particular case studies, there seems to lack a comparative or interdisciplinary approach, so research to date remains patchy.

In order to bring some of the interconnections, contrasts and points of comparison within our research and explore possibilities for future research collaborations, the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) Migration Network (MIGRALAC) was established at the University of Oxford in 2014 as a cross collaboration between UK universities. This network aims to provide a space for researchers to access and share contacts and research outputs (working papers, seminars, conferences etc.). In 2015, it moved to be hosted at Queen Mary, University of London but with joint involvement from the University of Oxford and the University of Birmingham. Members of the network meet each term to discuss work in progress as well organize events throughout the academic year. These events have proved to be an excellent forum for dialogue among scholars to identify interconnections, contrasts and points of comparison within their research.

This autumn the MIGRALAC seminar will be held at Birmingham for the first time and it will be focused on the theme of ‘experiences of migration, work and employment’. This workshop will provide the continuation of a cutting-edge new research agenda on experiences of work and employment for new migrants LAC in Europe, bridging migration studies, work and employment relations with area studies. This event will also facilitate the identification of emerging themes, potential partners and stakeholders for engagement for ongoing and future research projects.

Provisional Programme

11.45  Registration

12.30  Welcome

12.40  Panel: Experiences of work for LAC migrants (Chair: Monder Ram, University of Birmingham)

  • Onwards and downwards: labour market experiences of Latin American onward migrants in London (Cathy McIlwaine and Diego Bunge, Queen Mary University London)
  • Gendered motivations for productive and reproductive return migration to Bolivia from Spain (Raquel Martinez Bujan, ESOMI, Spain)
  • Internal brain drain and state intervention: the case of Haiti (Nicolas Lemay-Hebert, University of Birmingham)

14.10  Funding Opportunities (Karen Houghton, EU Funding Support, University of Birmingham)

14.15  Refreshment break

14.30  Panel: Sectors of labour market incorporation for LAC migrants in Europe (Chair: Olivia Sheringham, Queen Mary University London)

  • A transnational ethic of care: migrant elderly care workers in Spain (Tanja Bastia, University of Manchester)
  • Doing the cleaning work: Brazilian migrants in the UK (Ana Paula Silva, University of Manchester)
  • Recognising and valuing the work of small Latin American businesses in London (Patria Roman, 'Latin Elephant, CIO')

17.00  Screening of the short documentary ‘Hair Expectations’ by Ana Paula Silva (University of Manchester)

17.30  Close

To register to attend this workshop please email Sarah Jeffery.