Search

Notre compréhension de la migration du retour est encore très limitée. Ce sujet n’a que peu retenu l’attention des spécialistes de la migration et il existe peu d’études qui donnent une vision différenciée sur les divers types de « retourné-e-s », leurs motivations à retourner dans leurs pays, les défis qu’ils/elles affrontent et les ressources dont ils/elles disposent pour parvenir à se réinsérer dans les pays d’origine. Il existe en particulier un manque important d’études qui examinent en détail la situation spécifique du retour des migrant-e-s sans-papiers et l’impact de l’aide de programmes gouvernementaux pour leur réinsertion socio-économique. Cette lacune est particulièrement marquée dans le cas de la Suisse. Confronté à la situation d’absence d’évaluations des programmes d’appui au retour des sans-papiers, et dans le but d’y apporter des améliorations possibles à son propre programme, le Service de la Population du canton de Vaud a chargé Yvonne Riaño de mener une recherche sur la situation de retour des sans-papiers retournés en Équateur entre 2008-2010 avec l’appui du programme. La recherche présentée ici se base sur un travail de terrain réalisé en Équateur en 2010. Nous avons rencontré 25 familles (70% du total des familles rentrées avec l’aide du Canton de Vaud) habitant dans diverses régions du pays et avons recueilli leurs expériences de retour. La méthodologie choisie pour la récolte des données est qualitative et combine entretiens narratifs et semi-directifs. La recherche examine les raisons d'émigration et du retour des personnes interviewées ainsi que la situation actuelle de leurs projets de réinsertion, leurs ressources disponibles et le défis auxquels elles font face pour la réalisation de leurs projets. Six principes clés sont proposés pour repenser l’aide au retour de façon à pouvoir garantir un retour viable.

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

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.

L’aspiration à l’égalité dans le couple et l’idéalisation des hommes européens comme partenaires constituent un motif important dans la décision de femmes qui migrent par amour, de contracter un mariage binational et de migrer en Suisse. L’article pose l’hypothèse qu’on pourrait voir dans l’émigration des femmes qui migrent par amour non seulement une manière de s’opposer aux rôles de genre « traditionnels », mais aussi une façon de les accepter et de les reproduire.

Despite being the dominant mode of legal entry for the past two decades in the European Union, few studies of skilled migration and brain drain have focused on the so-called 'family migration'. Yet, recent studies suggest that many skilled immigrants, particularly women, are part of this category. This lack of interest for the family migration (and its economic impact) has also overshadowed the high-skilled profile (and potential) of many women who enter destination countries as family migrants. This paper examines the characteristics of the labour market participation of 50 skilled immigrant women from countries outside the European Union, including Latin America, the Middle East and South-eastern Europe, who have migrated to Switzerland in the context of family reunification. The author argues that if skilled women are able to achieve a professional integration equivalent to their skills, and develop networks of cooperation with other professionals in their countries of origin, the problem of 'brain drain' may be avoided and channelled towards 'brain gain'. The empirical results of the qualitative study show that the majority of skilled women face the undervaluing of their credentials and work experience, which results in their underemployment. The question is thus raised if the debate around 'brain drain' should be in such cases reformulated in terms of 'brain waste', a phenomenon that not only affects the countries of origin but also the countries of destination. Finally, the paper examines the strategies that skilled migrant women develop to improve their integration into the Swizz labour market, which can ultimately lead to networks of cooperation with their countries of origin.

Switzerland has recently adopted immigration policies that give preference to skilled migrants, the assumption being that migrants with higher education will integrate easily. Our study of 57 skilled immigrant women from Latin America, the Middle East and Southeastern Europe shows that this assumption is largely unjustified. Most of the women cannot use their social and cultural capital to establish themselves in the upper segments of the labour market. A third are not integrated in the labour market and a quarter occupy positions below their skill-level. A further third work at their skill-level but only irregularly. The differentiated participation of these immigrants in the labour market is well explained by analysing the interplay of class, ethnicity and gender