Understanding Immigrants: Perspectives on Framing and Definition

 
Maurizio Ambrosini, 
University
 of Milan, editor of the
journal “Mondi migranti”
 
Who are immigrants?
Problems of framing, definition,
distinction
 
Definition
 
An immigrant is a person who moved to a foreign country,
and who has been there for more than one year (UN)
Three elements
:
Moving
Crossing a national border
For a prolonged period of time (1 year or more)
Problems
:
Seasonal immigrant workers
Second generations
 
 
 
The 
double Otherness of migrants
 
We do not define 
a person coming from US,
Switzerland or Japan 
“immigrant”, even though
he/she is included in the definition quoted
above
We do not name 
a businessperson, or a sport
champion
 “immigrant”, even  though he/she
comes from a country of the Global South
Immigrants are people framed as “poor” and
“strangers
 
Superdiversity?
 
The difficulty in the acceptance of people perceived as “the
Others” is linked with the 
perception of a deep break of
the social order and of the homogeneity of the Nation
we are obliged to live with people who are different
because of their language, citizenship, religion, cultural
habits…
Our social landscape is perceived as radically altered
These differences are combined with a social stigma: these
people are seen as “inferior”
The term “immigrant” comes to imply a 
pejorative
meaning
 
Mobility regimes
 
The “mobility turn” (Urry) is valid only for
skilled workers and professionals
They can move quite freely an bring with
them their families
There is a social stratification of mobility in
the world
Manual workers from the Global South,
their families  and refugees are targeted as
immigrants 
to exclude or to integrate.
 
A 
dynamic
 vision
 
Italian, Spanish, Greek migrants in
Northern Europe have improved their legal
status and social representation over time
Citizens of EU new member countries are
doing the same
The economic development has similar
effects in legal treatment and social
acceptance
 
Immigration in Italy (and Europe):
common vision and actual data
 
Common vision
 
Strong increase of
immigration in numbers
Asylum is the main reason
Migrants are mainly men
Migrants come mainly from
middle East and Africa
Migrants are mainly muslim
 
Actual data
 
Immigration is stable (about
5,5 million +0.6 million of
irregular immigrants)
Work and family are the main
reasons (0,30 million of
refugees/ asylum seekers)
Migrants are mainly women
Migrants are mainly European
Migrants come mainly from
traditionally Christian
countries
 
Different types of migrants
 
Economic migrants
Seasonal migrants (now: “circular migrants”, in a “triple
win” scenario)
Skilled migrants and investors (we can include also
students)
Migrants for family reasons (or “secondary migrations”)
Second generations  (are they immigrants?)
Asylum seekers and refugees
Irregular migrants, clandestines, victims of traffick
Return migrants
Retired people residing abroad
 
The historical periods of international
migrations in contemporary history
 
1830-1914: transatlantic migrations from Europe
1914-1945: refugees and first regulations
1945-1955: new refugees and reconstruction after
the war
1955-1974: migrations towards Northern Europe
and economic development
1974-now: restriction, selection, free circulation in
the EU, irregular migrations
 
Six trends in contemporary
migrations 
(Castles, de Haas and Miller)
 
Globalization of migration
Changing direction of migration flows
Differentiation
Proliferation of migration transitions
Feminization of labour migration
Growing politicization of migration
 
Phases or stages of migrations
 
1) 
First arrivals
: young workers, without families,
with the proposal to stay temporarily
2) 
New arrivals
, workers even now. People with
less resources, but sponsored by the “hubs”. Time
extends
3) 
Family  reunions
: spouses and children arrive,
Immigrants settle
4) 
Formation of ethnic minorities
. Political and
cultural demands. Creation of ethnic institutions
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Immigrants are individuals who have moved to a foreign country and resided there for over a year. Maurizio Ambrosini sheds light on the challenges in defining and categorizing immigrants, highlighting issues such as seasonal immigrant workers and second generations. The perception of immigrants as "others" and the stigma attached to their differences contribute to difficulties in acceptance and integration. Mobility regimes vary, with skilled workers enjoying more freedom of movement compared to manual workers and refugees. A dynamic vision reveals improvements in legal status and social representation for certain migrant groups over time, influenced by economic development and social acceptance.


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  1. Who are immigrants? Problems of framing, definition, distinction Maurizio Ambrosini, University of Milan, editor of the journal Mondi migranti

  2. Definition An immigrant is a person who moved to a foreign country, and who has been there for more than one year (UN) Threeelements: Moving Crossing a national border Fora prolonged period of time (1 yearor more) Problems: Seasonal immigrantworkers Second generations

  3. The double Otherness of migrants We do not define a person coming from US, Switzerland or Japan immigrant , even though he/she is included in the definition quoted above We do not name a businessperson, or a sport champion immigrant , even though he/she comes from a country of the Global South Immigrants are people framed as poor and strangers

  4. Superdiversity? The difficulty in the acceptance of people perceived as the Others is linked with the perception of a deep break of the social order and of the homogeneity of the Nation we are obliged to live with people who are different because of their language, citizenship, religion, cultural habits Our social landscape is perceived as radically altered These differences are combined with a social stigma: these people are seen as inferior The term immigrant comes to imply a pejorative meaning

  5. Mobility regimes The mobility turn (Urry) is valid only for skilled workers and professionals They can move quite freely an bring with them their families There is a social stratification of mobility in the world Manual workers from the Global South, their families and refugees are targeted as immigrants to exclude or to integrate.

  6. A dynamic vision Italian, Spanish, Greek migrants in Northern Europe have improved their legal status and social representation over time Citizens of EU new member countries are doing the same The economic development has similar effects in legal treatment and social acceptance

  7. Immigration in Italy (and Europe): common vision and actual data Common vision Strong increase of immigration in numbers Asylum is the main reason Migrants are mainly men Migrants come mainly from middle East and Africa Migrants are mainly muslim Actual data Immigration is stable (about 5,5 million +0.6 million of irregular immigrants) Work and family are the main reasons (0,30 million of refugees/ asylum seekers) Migrants are mainly women Migrants are mainly European Migrants come mainly from traditionally Christian countries

  8. Different types of migrants Economic migrants Seasonal migrants (now: circular migrants , in a triple win scenario) Skilled migrants and investors (we can include also students) Migrants for family reasons (or secondary migrations ) Second generations (are they immigrants?) Asylum seekers and refugees Irregular migrants, clandestines, victims of traffick Return migrants Retired people residing abroad

  9. The historical periods of international migrations in contemporary history 1830-1914: transatlantic migrations from Europe 1914-1945: refugees and first regulations 1945-1955: new refugees and reconstruction after the war 1955-1974: migrations towards Northern Europe and economic development 1974-now: restriction, selection, free circulation in the EU, irregular migrations

  10. Six trends in contemporary migrations (Castles, de Haas and Miller) Globalization of migration Changing direction of migration flows Differentiation Proliferation of migration transitions Feminization of labour migration Growing politicization of migration

  11. Phases or stages of migrations 1) First arrivals: young workers, without families, with the proposal to stay temporarily 2) New arrivals, workers even now. People with less resources, but sponsored by the hubs . Time extends 3) Family reunions: spouses and children arrive, Immigrants settle 4) Formation of ethnic minorities. Political and cultural demands. Creation of ethnic institutions

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