IntroductionCurrently, the issue of immigration is one of the central challenges faced by European states, and immigration policy has become a top political priority. Pressure has increasingly come from right-wing populist parties that have emerged in several countries over the past decade. Xenophobic discourses and defensive immigration policies are at the centre of these parties' political programmes and electoral success. In the light of shifting political landscapes, fluctuating national identities, and widespread antiimmigrant attitudes, many European states have responded by adopting stricter policies of immigration control (Kofman, 2002). Switzerland is no exception. In fact, since the end of the 19th century, Switzerland has had a long tradition of right-wing populism, which has mainly formed around the issue of U ë berfremdung: the idea of foreign overpopulation threatening Swiss identity.The role played by state discourses in the portrayal of citizens and of those considered unsuitable for citizenship (Yuval-Davis, 1997) is currently of much scholarly interest. The notion of`discourse' refers to groups of statements which structure the way something is thought about, and the way we act on the basis of that thinking. Discourse is powerful because it is productive. Discourses`naturalise' and often implicitly universalise a particular view of the world and position subjects within it (Foucault, 1980; Gregory, 2002, page 78). State discourses öthe ways of portraying citizens and those unsuitable for citizenship, via official documents, white papers, legislation, political rhetoric, and other documents, texts, and forms of representation (McDowell, 2003)öare particularly powerful discourses. Their dominance occurs not only because they are located in socially powerful institutions but also because they

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 SwissNorwegian 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 evolution of a couple's respective professional careers over space and time. The originality of this paper is to fill this research gap; to include migration as a critical moment for gender inequalities; to use an intersectional and geographical perspective that have been given scant attention in the literature; to use the original concept of economic citizenship; and to examine the case of a bi-national couple, which has so far not been examined by the literature on couple relationships.

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By definition border areas are at the margins of the nation-states. In addition to the geographical marginality, people living there are often also marginalised politically, socially and economically. In some of the European border regions, 'unwanted' people, minorities (Sinti, Roma), the disabled, or expatriates have been settled there. In others, 'confident' citizens have been positioned and isolated along the borderline. We focus on the strategies people in the border areas deploy to cope with their marginality and the question of whether they should stay or leave. In contrast to much existing research about migrants, we investigate this issue from the viewpoint of those who have remained and how they legitimise their decision to stay. Their main arguments are: love of the country/home; moral obligation; lack of alternatives. We also explore their view on those who have left. Here, too, their reasoning can have different dimensions, such as: emigration to escape from the poverty of the periphery (economic marginalisation); refuge from political marginalisation; migration for educational or professional reasons. We differentiate between the views of different generations, genders, and the specific visions and contexts of the different communities east and west of the former Iron Curtain. Finally, we study the strategies people use when talking about their future.

Tanulmányunk egy folyamatban lévő migrációs kutatás első eredményeire támaszkodva elemzi a Vajdaságból Magyarországra irányuló tanulmányi célú migráció sajátosságait. A tanulmányi célú migrációt a transznacionális migráció egyik formájának tekintjük, amely azonban egyúttal a nemzetállami határokon átívelő etnikai migrációként is értelmezhető és elemezhető. A vajdasági magyar diákok tanulmányi célú migrációja dinamikus, nyitott kimenetelű folyamat, amely végleges áttelepedéshez, visszaköltözéshez, a két ország közötti, időben változó dinamikájú ide-oda mozgáshoz egyaránt vezethet, ám a tapasztalatok szerint az esetek jelentős részében a magyarországi továbbtanulásról szóló mobilitási és migrációs döntés a szülőföldről való távozás első lépcsőfokának tekinthető. A Vajdaságból Magyarországra irányuló tanulmányi célú migráció dinamikáját a kilencvenes években a balkáni háborúk hullámzása határozta meg, a háborús viszonyok elmúltával sem szűnő folyamatot a tartósnak bizonyuló vonzó- és taszítótényezők mellett az otthoni és magyarországi transznacionális hálózatok is táplálják, amelyek segítik és egyben legitim stratégiává teszik a tanulmányi célú migrációt.