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This introduction prefaces a special issue on the topic of feminist participatory methodologies in geography. Drawing upon the experiences of the contributors in developing new tools and methods to facilitate interaction with participants and working with groups that tend to be forgotten, subordinated and/or alienated, we argue for the methodological significance of instating a feminist perspective to participatory research. Although much theoretical debate has taken place among feminist and post-colonial scholars on unequal research relationships between “researchers” and “research subjects”, the literature on how to operationalize greater equality remains quite limited. We attempt to fill this research gap by bringing together scholars working in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres in order to illuminate the multifaceted ways in which these methods can be used not only to debunk hierarchical research relationships, but also to produce new scientific insights with greater validity.

This article proposes the notion of ‘marginalised elites’ to examine highly skilled migrant women, a group that has been neglected by feminist participatory research. It asks what principles and methods can be used towards inclusive practices in studies of migration and social exclusion. The paper contributes to the literature by designing and critically evaluating the method of Minga biographic workshops, which create inclusionary spaces of data collection and critical analysis with highly skilled migrant women living in Switzerland. Using this case study, the paper questions notions of privilege, power and positionality commonly used in feminist participatory approaches. Minga workshops enhance spaces of inclusion, become ‘spaces of personal transformation’, question the perceived inferiority of migrant women, and produce original scientific insights on social exclusion. These results point to the role of academics as facilitators of personal transformation, and the need to closely consider the added scientific value of feminist participatory methodologies.

The role of state discourses in the construction of ‘otherness’ and in the production of inequality has become a major issue during a time of increasing changes in migration flows, of an increased presence of nationalist parties, and of increasingly restrictive immigration policies in Europe. In this paper we examine historical shifts in the representation of foreigners within Swiss state discourses and the effects of these shifts on the integration of immigrants into Swiss society. As state discourses regarding foreigners significantly changed after the First World War, the emphasis of immigration policies shifted from a facilitating to a constraining approach. Überfremdung, the notion that excessive numbers of foreigners can threaten Swiss identity, emerged as one of the most influential discourses in Switzerland and provided the foundation for a quantitative and qualitative strategy of defence against the immigration, settlement, and naturalisation of foreigners. In recent years, however, an agreement on freedom of movement between Switzerland and the European Union has been struck, and immigration policies have once again adopted a facilitating stance. As this applies only to citizens of the European Union, a stratified system of immigrant rights has been continued and perpetuated. At the same time, right-wing parties, which have recently risen to power, have successfully used Überfremdung propaganda to persuade Swiss populations to vote against the relaxation of conditions for the naturalisation of foreigners, thus ensuring that immigrants will be excluded from access to citizenship rights over generations. The politics of immigration in Switzerland is above all a politics of national identity.

Purpose – There is much scientific interest in the connection between the emergence of gender-based inequalities and key biographical transition points of couples in long-term relationships. Little empirical research is available comparing the evolution of a couple’s respective professional careers over space and time. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to filling this gap by addressing the following questions: what are the critical biographical moments when gender (in)equalities within a relationship begin to arise and consolidate? Which biographical decisions precede and follow such critical moments? How does decision making at critical moments impact the opportunities of both relationship partners in gaining equal access to paid employment? Design/methodology/approach – These questions are addressed from the perspectives of intersectionality and economic citizenship. Biographical interviewing is used to collect the personal and professional narratives of Swiss-, bi-national and migrant couples. The case study of a Swiss-Norwegian couple illustrates typical processes by which many skilled migrant women end up absently or precariously employed. Findings – Analysis reveals that the Scandinavian woman’s migration to Switzerland is a primary and critical moment for emerging inequality, which is then reinforced by relocation (to a small town characterized by conservative gender values) and the subsequent births of their children. It is concluded that factors of traditional gender roles, ethnicity and age intersect to create a hierarchical situation which affords the male Swiss partner more weight in terms of decision making and career advancement. Practical implications – The paper’s findings are highly relevant to the formulation of policies regarding gender inequalities and the implementation of preventive programmes within this context. Originality/value – Little empirical research is available comparing

The concept of citizenship, originally coined by Marshall, and synonymous with social rights and equality, is pivotal in understanding and overcoming the social injustices that many migrants experience. Marshall's notion of social rights, however, does not elaborate on economic rights. Feminist authors argue that women's equal access to sources of income outside family relations is key to their citizenship. Access to spaces of paid work is a significant aspect of migrant women's citizenship because their residence status and naturalization is often contingent on their employment. The author thus argues that economic rights should be central to debates on migration and citizenship. The proposed term ‘economic citizenship’ is used to examine experiences and strategies of fifty-seven skilled migrant women from Latin America, the Middle East, and South East Europe when trying to access positions in the Swiss labour market corresponding to their professional qualifications. The feminist and postcolonial perspectives of ‘intersectionality’ and participatory research are used to understand how and why inequalities in the labour market occur. It is found that traditional ideas about gender roles, discourses about ethnic difference, and discriminatory migration policies intersect to create boundaries for skilled migrant women in accessing upper segments of the Swiss labour market. Migration, therefore, does not always imply empowerment and emancipation, but also generates new forms of social inequality.

This paper presents a new methodological approach, entitled "MINGA", developed with the goal of achieving a more equitable working relationship between the researcher and her/his research subjects while also reaching a deeper understanding of the reality being researched. The question of what type of representations we produce as researchers, and with what consequences, has been addressed for some time now by post-colonial and feminist academics. Such critiques have been valuable in highlighting the need to generate new research practices that go beyond representation as the sole domain of researchers, and have thus contributed to "decolonizing" research methods. At the same time have there have been more efforts to theorize than to developing and implementing critical and collaborative methodologies. MINGA proposes a new approach, consisting of establishing research partnerships with the studied subjects, which are oriented by the principles of co-determination and reciprocity. The term MINGA was chosen to highlight parallels with the ancestral practice of "minga", dating back to Inca times, of the collective production of goods for the benefit of the community, without monetary exchange and on the basis of reciprocity. The methodology MINGA is therefore a form of co-production of knowledge where the mutual benefit is the expansion of the social and cultural capital of all of the research partners. Developing such methodologies requires first an exhaustive and critical reflection on the barriers that are to be overcome to create more egalitarian research relationships. Because few efforts have been made to identify them and think about how they could be dismantled, these barriers still remain invisible to some academics. After outlining a typology of such barriers, the article describes the guiding principles of the MINGA methodology. It ends by discussing the challenges and potentials of this new methodological approach.

Many host-countries have liberalised migration policies to facilitate the transition of international students to the local labour market as they are seen as economic agents who increase global competitiveness and integrate easily. However, how migration and educational policies at the regional and national levels emerge, are negotiated and become implemented, and how they contradict other policies, remains little-known. This special issue aims to address that gap. This introductory paper offers an analytical framework for studying policies of international student mobility that addresses four critical dimensions: discourses, contexts, agents and temporalities before offering some key avenues for future research.

Cet article contribue à notre compréhension de la représentation des étudiant·e·s étranger·e·s dans les discours politiques suisses. Il adopte une perspective historique en examinant comment les étudiant·e·s extra-européen ·ne·s sont représentés dans les discours mobilisés au niveau national entre 1900 et 2015. Ces étudiant·e·s apparaissent comme étant soit un atout, soit une menace. Dans le premier cas, ces représentations servent à légitimer des politiques migratoires visant à renforcer la compétitivité économique mondiale de la Suisse. En revanche, le second type semble créer un danger qui peut s’avérer utile pour renforcer l’identité nationale, protéger les travailleurs suisses et maintenir les valeurs traditionnelles de genre., This article contributes to our understanding of how foreign students are represented in Swiss political discourses. It takes a historical perspective by examining how non-European students are represented in discourses mobilized at the federal level between 1900 and 2015. Students are portrayed as being either an asset or a threat. In the first case, such representations serve to legitimize migration policies aimed at bolstering Switzerland’s global economic competitiveness. In contrast, the second type appears to create a useful threat in order to strengthen national identity, protect Swiss workers and maintain traditional gender values., Wie soll man die Repräsentation der ausländischen Studierenden im politi-schen Diskurs in der Schweiz verstehen? Anhand einer historischen Perspektive wird hier erforscht, wie die außereuropäischen Studierenden zwischen 1900 und 2015 im nationalen politischen Diskurs repräsentiert werden. Diese Studierenden erscheinen entweder als Pluspunkt oder als Drohung. Im ersten Fall dient die Repräsentation der Rechtfertigung der Migrationspolitik, um die weltweite wirtschaftliche Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der Schweiz zu verstärken. Im zweiten Fall scheint die Repräsentation der erwähnten Studierenden im Gegenteil eine nützliche Drohung zu sein, die nützlich sein kann um die natio-nale Identität zu betonen, die Schweizer Arbeitskräfte zu schützen und die traditionellen Gender-Werte aufrechtzuerhalten.

Cet article analyse les raisons, stratégies, expériences et projets d’avenir des étudiantes et étudiants internationaux qui viennent en Suisse dans le cadre de leur formation tertiaire. L’Université de Berne sert d’étude de cas. Un sondage en ligne a été envoyé à toutes les personnes scolarisées à l’étranger et immatriculées dans cette université durant l’année académique 2015-2016. La décision d’étudier en Suisse est surtout motivée par la découverte d’une nouvelle culture. La bonne qualité de vie à Berne est particulièrement appréciée. Contrairement aux conclusions de la théorie du capital humain, les étudiant·e·s ne sont pas principalement motivé·e·s par l’obtention future de meilleurs salaires., This article examines the reasons, strategies, experiences and future plans of international students who relocate to Switzerland for tertiary studies. The University of Bern serves as a case study. An online survey was sent to all international students who were enrolled in the academic year 2015-2016 for their Bachelor, Master or Doctoral studies. The results show that their decisions to study in Switzerland are mainly shaped by a desire to experience a new culture. The good quality of life in Bern is particularly appreciated. Thus, contrary to expectations based on human capital theory, students’ mobility is not primarily motivated by a wish to obtain better wages in the future., Dieser Artikel trägt dazu bei, die Gründe, Strategien, Erfahrungen und Zukunftspläne von internationalen Studierenden, die für ihre tertiäre Ausbildung in die Schweiz kommen, zu verstehen. Die Universität Bern dient als Fallstudie. Eine Online-Umfrage wurde an sämtliche internationale Studierende, welche im akademischen Jahr 2015-2016 für ein Hochschulstudium eingeschrieben waren, versendet. Die Resultate zeigen, dass der Entscheid, in der Schweiz zu studieren, hauptsächlich vom Wunsch, eine neue Kultur zu erleben, geprägt ist. Besonders wird die gute Lebensqualität von Bern geschätzt. Anders als bei der Humankapitaltheorie sind Studierende nicht primär motiviert, bessere Löhne zu erhalten.

International students are viewed by many countries as ideal immigrants: having studied at a local institution, they are assumed to better perform in the highly skilled labor market than internationally educated migrants. A global race for talent is thus going on, and several countries are putting policies in place to attract international students. Switzerland has also introduced policies to facilitate the stay of students from non-EU countries after graduation. Do they reach the desired goal?

The quality of life in Latin American cities is increasingly deteriorating. Problems of environmental degradation, poverty, violence and criminality are heightening across the continent. One of the important reasons for this phenomenon is the inability of many urban residents to identify themselves with their environment. This is a result of equity problems, such as the deficient integration of several social groups and the lack of social respect for individuals and groups in the city. The traditional academic measure of quality of life, exclusively based on economic growth and the improvement of material living conditions, needs to be expanded to include the socio-cultural dimensions of social integration and place identification. Such an expanded perspective requires participatory methods that allow for creative interaction between city residents, urban professionals, industry representatives and policy makers. Based on the case study of the barrio Mena del Hierro in the periphery of Quito (Ecuador), this paper presents an implementation of the expanded, participatory perspective. A mix of quantitative and qualitative techniques was used with emphasis on participatory video production, social mapping and open-ended interviews. The technique of social mapping has proved a useful means of (a) understanding the spatial structure of self-help networks, and (b) identifying the geographical boundaries of diverse communities in the city. Results from the participatory research have revealed the tremendous role of self-help organisation in the improvement of the quality of life of barrio residents. Structured by networks of reciprocal help, barrio residents have managed to install a fresh water supply and distribution system, improve other infrastructure facilities for the barrio, and develop a wealth of socio-cultural activities that maintain the social cohesion of the commununity. Urban farming, small-scale industry and the direct import of agricultural produce from the, La calidad de vida en las ciudades latinoamericanas está en proceso de deterioro. Los problemas de degradacion del medio ambiente, pobreza, violencia y criminalidad aumentan de manera preocupante. Una de las razones importantes detrâs de este fenómeno reside en la incapacidad de muchos habitantes urbanos de identificarse con el medio donde viven. Esta dificultad de identificación se explica por razones de desigualdad social. Por una parte, existen muchos obstáculos para la integración social adecuada de numerosos habitantes urbanos y por otra, una ausencia generalizada de respeto social a la mayoria de habitantes urbanos. El enfoque académico tradicional sobre la calidad de vida urbana, basado exclusivamente en el crecimiento económico y en el mejoramiento de las condiciones materiales de vida, necesita ser ampliado para incluir los aspectos socioculturales de relativa integración social e identificación urbana. Una perspectiva integral como ésta requiere dei uso de métodos de investigación participativa que permitan el intercambio creativo entre residentes urbanos, profesionales, autoridades municipales e industriales. A partir del estudio de caso del barrio periférico Mena de Hierro en la ciudad de Quito (Ecuador), este artículo presenta un ejemplo práctico de la aplicación de un enfoque integral y participativo. El estudio se lieva a cabo a partir de la mezcla de métodos cuantitativos y cualitativos, con énfasis en las técnicas de videos participativos, cartografia social y entrevistas narrativas. La técnica de la cartografia social ha mostrado ser muy útil para la comprensión de la estructura espacial de las redes sociales y el discemimiento de las fronteras espaciales de diversas comunidades urbanas. Los resultados de la investigación participativa han revelado el rol fundamental que juega la organización de base barrial para la mejora de la calidad de vida de sus pobladores. Estructurados por la organización de las redes de ayuda mutua, los residentes barriale

This introduction prefaces a special issue on the topic of feminist participatory methodologies in geography. Drawing upon the experiences of the contributors in developing new tools and methods to facilitate interaction with participants and working with groups that tend to be forgotten, subordinated and/or alienated, we argue for the methodological significance of instating a feminist perspective to participatory research. Although much theoretical debate has taken place among feminist and post-colonial scholars on unequal research relationships between ‘researchers’ and ‘research subjects’, the literature on how to operationalize greater equality remains quite limited. We attempt to fill this research gap by bringing together scholars working in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres in order to illuminate the multifaceted ways in which these methods can be used not only to debunk hierarchical research relationships, but also to produce new scientific insights with greater validity.

Cet article contribue à notre compréhension de la représentation des étudiant·e·s étranger·e·s dans les discours politiques suisses. Il adopte une perspective historique en examinant comment les étudiant·e·s extra-euro-péen·ne·s sont représentés dans les discours mobilisés au niveau national entre 1900 et 2015. Ces étudiant·e·s apparaissent comme étant soit un atout, soit une menace. Dans le premier cas, ces représentations servent à légitimer des politiques migratoires visant à renforcer la compétitivité économique mondiale de la Suisse. En revanche, le second type semble créer un danger qui peut s’avérer utile pour renforcer l’identité nationale, protéger les travailleurs suisses et maintenir les valeurs traditionnelles de genre., This article contributes to our understanding of how foreign students are represented in Swiss political discourses. It takes a historical perspective by examining how non-European students are represented in discourses mobilized at the federal level between 1900 and 2015. Students are portrayed as being either an asset or a threat. In the first case, such representations serve to legitimize migration policies aimed at bolstering Switzerland’s global economic competitiveness. In contrast, the second type appears to create a useful threat in order to strengthen national identity, protect Swiss workers and maintain traditional gender values., Wie soll man die Repräsentation der ausländischen Studierenden im politischen Diskurs in der Schweiz verstehen? Anhand einer historischen Perspektive wird hier erforscht, wie die außereuropäischen Studierenden zwischen 1900 und 2015 im nationalen politischen Diskurs repräsentiert werden. Diese Studierenden erscheinen entweder als Pluspunkt oder als Drohung. Im ersten Fall dient die Repräsentation der Rechtfertigung der Migrationspolitik, um die weltweite wirtschaftliche Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der Schweiz zu verstärken. Im zweiten Fall scheint die Repräsentation der erwähnten Studierenden im Gegenteil eine nützliche Drohung zu sein, die nützlich sein kann um die natio-nale Identität zu betonen, die Schweizer Arbeitskräfte zu schützen und die traditionellen Gender-Werte aufrechtzuerhalten.

Cet article analyse les raisons, stratégies, expériences et projets d’avenir des étudiantes et étudiants internationaux qui viennent en Suisse dans le cadre de leur formation tertiaire. L’Université de Berne sert d’étude de cas. Un sondage en ligne a été envoyé à toutes les personnes scolarisées à l’étranger et immatri-culées dans cette université durant l’année académique 2015-2016. La décision d’étudier en Suisse est surtout motivée par la découverte d’une nouvelle culture. La bonne qualité de vie à Berne est particulièrement appréciée. Contrairement aux conclusions de la théorie du capital humain, les étudiant·e·s ne sont pas principalement motivé·e·s par l’obtention future de meilleurs salaires., This article examines the reasons, strategies, experiences and future plans of international students who relocate to Switzerland for tertiary studies. The University of Bern serves as a case study. An online survey was sent to all international students who were enrolled in the academic year 2015-2016 for their Bachelor, Master or Doctoral studies. The results show that their decisions to study in Switzerland are mainly shaped by a desire to experience a new culture. The good quality of life in Bern is particularly appreciated. Thus, contrary to expectations based on human capital theory, students’ mobility is not primarily motivated by a wish to obtain better wages in the future., Dieser Artikel trägt dazu bei, die Gründe, Strategien, Erfahrungen und Zukunftspläne von internationalen Studierenden, die für ihre tertiäre Ausbildung in die Schweiz kommen, zu verstehen. Die Universität Bern dient als Fallstudie. Eine Online-Umfrage wurde an sämtliche internationale Studierende, welche im akademischen Jahr 2015-2016 für ein Hochschulstudium eingeschrieben waren, versendet. Die Resultate zeigen, dass der Entscheid, in der Schweiz zu studieren, hauptsächlich vom Wunsch, eine neue Kultur zu erleben, geprägt ist. Besonders wird die gute Lebensqualität von Bern geschätzt. Anders als bei der Humankapitaltheorie sind Studierende nicht primär motiviert, bessere Löhne zu erhalten.

Since the 1990s, Swiss immigration policies have placed increasing restrictions on non-European Union (EU) immigrants. However, in 2011, based on the initiative of Jacques Neirynck, the Swiss Parliament approved a law facilitating the admission and integration of non-EU nationals with a Swiss university degree. How can this policy openness in times of closure be explained? Drawing on the narratives of stakeholders during parliamentarian debates, and interviews with key political actors, we propose a unique explanatory approach combining: (1) the convincing narratives of steering crafted by parliamentarians, (2) an appropriate temporal and geographical context, and (3) the biographical capacity of the policy initiator to effect policy change. This model will be useful for studies of migration policy change in general.

Since the 1990s, Swiss immigration policies have placed more restrictions on non-EU nationals living and working in Switzerland. However, in 2011, based on the initiative of university professor and parliamentarian Jacques Neirynck, the Swiss Parliament approved a new law facilitating the admission and integration of non-EU nationals with a Swiss university degree. How can this policy openness in times of closure be explained? To address this question we examined the narratives crafted by Swiss parliamentarians during the parliamentarian debate - both in favour of and against the draft bill. The main methods used were qualitative analysis of the minutes of parliamentarian debates and in-depth interviews with key political actors. In light of our results, we propose a threedimensional approach to explain why immigration policy liberalisation occurs: (a) the effectiveness of the narratives crafted by policy elites to convince parliamentarians, (b) the appropriate conditions created by the temporal and geographical context, and (c) the biographical capacity of the policy initiators to effect policy change. Emerging from this multi-dimensional approach is a unique perspective of analysis which can be used to understand policy change in migration studies.