Return Imaginaries and Political Climate: Comparing Thinking About Return Mobilities Among Pakistani Origin Migrants and Descendants in Norway and the UK

Abstract

The political climate on immigration and diversity in various European societies has previously been analysed in relation to media representations, policy regimes and public opinion. This paper focuses more narrowly on how political climates affect migrant and post-migrant generations, as inhabitants of these European societies. We focus on the impact of ambivalence resulting from perceived lack of recognition as full citizens in European societies among migrants and their descendants. Ambivalence in relation to experiences of particular traits of the political climate is further connected with ideas about mobility-how migrants and descendants may think about return migration-what we discuss in terms of 'return imaginaries'. Culture, ideology and representations are seen as significant for contemporary politics, not only with expressive but also with formative roles. With this perspective, the analysis explores three politically heated areas of debate: about immigration control, about social cohesion and integration agendas and about terrorist attacks. These three areas were inductively selected, drawing on analysis of qualitative data collected among Pakistani origin migrants and descendants in Norway and the UK. The two countries of residence are purposefully chosen because they in different ways reflect political climates affected by the rise of xenophobia and Islamophobia in Europe.

The Return of Citizenship? An Empirical Assessment of Legal Integration in Times of Radical Sociolegal Transformation

“…Moroşanu and Fox 2013). There is a perceived “clear hierarchy between EU citizens from the West and those from Eastern Europe” (Mügge and van der Haar 2016, 82–83), shaped by what Bolognani and Erdal (2017, 354) call “political climate” — “political rhetoric, media representations and resulting public perceptions.” We also know that certain migrant groups have been exposed to more negative media representations than others (Allen 2016), with Romanians in particular being portrayed as “socio-political and cultural ‘problems’” (Mădroane 2012, 120). There is already emerging qualitative evidence that Romanian nationals are using naturalization as a method of status enhancement in the face of perceived nationality-based discrimination (Paraschivescu 2016).…”

“…With respect to the length of residence, we generally find that those who have lived in the United Kingdom for over nine years are less likely to opt for legal integration than those with less than three years in the country. Although this observation does not lend itself to a straightforward explanation, it may highlight that those who have arrived most recently are more skeptical about the ability of EU-derived rights to safeguard their access to long-term residence, a possible effect of the political climate (Favell 2013; Bolognani and Erdal 2017).…”

Diasporic homecomings to the Kurdistan region of Iraq: Pre- and post-return experiences shaping motivations to re-return

“…Contrary to this, the majority of participants finally returned due to other reasons than negative experiences in the host society. Only a few interviewees mentioned that they or their family members had experienced discrimination in the context of rising xenophobia after 9/11 (see Bolognani and Erdal, 2017). There were also conflictual inter-ethnic relations in the host society:I haven’t experienced discrimination but my parents have … based on their religion, and especially after 9/11.…”

Ageing ‘Here’ or ‘There’? Spatiotemporalities in Older Labour Migrants’ Return Aspirations From the Azores

“…From a life -course perspective, the traditional assumption that middle -aged and older adults hold a strong desire to return home is put into a more nuanced perspective (Cerase, 1974). In a context of political and economic uncertainty and socio -cultural transformation in most migrant--receiving countries, migrants' feelings of belonging, household negotiations, and plans of return gain enhanced relevance (De Haas, Fokkema, & Fihri, 2015;Bolognani & Erdal, 2016). Looking at the case of Portugal and its most remote autonomous region, the Azores, assumes particular relevance in the present economic context.…”