Periodic Reporting for period 2 - GLAM (Global South Migration and Comparative Integration: A Study of South American Migrants)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2023-09-06 do 2024-09-05
What is the impact of migration on migrants and their children’s life chances? Are their opportunities equal to those of local populations at destination? Do they improve with respect to non-migrants in origin countries? These questions are at the heart of migration studies. Yet, our answers to them are partial because, first, most empirical and theoretical work on migrant integration focuses on South-North migration, even though that comprises only a third of total international migration flows. Second, studies on migrant integration are often focused on comparing migrants with local populations at destination. They hence fail to capture the counterfactual of what might have happened in the absence of migration or if the migrant had moved elsewhere.
To address these gaps, the GLAM project studied migration flows originating in South America, where 70% of migration is intra-regional. The project included a case study and a comparative study of South Americans in Southern and Northern destinations, focusing on educational and labour market outcomes—key indicators of long-term life chances. Using individual, household, and neighbourhood census data, I selected specific migrant populations to explore these issues.
Case Study: the education of migrant-origin children in Argentina. The case study examined indicators of educational access and attainment for children of migrants in Argentina. It found that migrant-origin children, especially from Bolivia and Paraguay, performed better than Argentine-origin children—particularly when their parents had low education levels. However, when parents had higher education, children of migrants either achieved equally or faced disadvantages compared to Argentine children. Previous research suggests that the outperformance of migrant-origin children might be due to greater motivation and aspirations. However, migrants with higher cultural capital, such as better-educated parents, often struggle to fully transmit that capital, due to a lack of compensatory class resources like stable income, which are crucial for educational success. The study also shows that migrant-origin children born in Argentina had better educational outcomes than those born abroad, reflecting the role of time in the integration process.
Comparative Study 1: the education of Bolivian-origin youth in Argentina vs. their peers in Bolivia. Through the study of various indicators of access to education & educational attainment, the study reveals that Bolivian-origin youth born in Argentina and living with their (generally low-educated) parents occupied an intermediate position: they tended to do worse than Bolivians in Bolivia, with migrant-origin men being the most negatively affected, yet better than native Argentines. “Dissimilation” from origin appears to be related to greater educational expansion in Bolivia, to which Bolivian-origin children in Argentina were not exposed to. Conversely, “assimilation” to destination exceeded expectations, as observed for other migrant groups too. Assuming that next to being an asset, better education is an extra tool that allows the acquisition of other types of assets, such as a better job or higher income, we can delineate two perspectives on migration outcomes. The first perspective is more negative: migration to another country does not seem to have improved children’s life chances. The other is more positive and hopeful, highlighting the capacity of migrant-origin children to acquire human capital tools that facilitate better navigation of the system.
Comparative Study 2: labour market outcomes of migrants in Argentina and Spain. The second comparative study examined the labour market outcomes of Bolivian and Peruvian migrants in Argentina and Spain, and how this varied relative to non-migrants. Among other findings, I show that migration boosts activity rates among women in Spain; in Argentina, this effect is only observed for Peruvians. A higher proportion of women at work has the capacity of influencing gender roles, especially for nationalities where traditional roles predominate. I also found differences in terms of occupational status. While Peruvian migrant men have better occupational status than non-migrants, the opposite is observed for Peruvian women and Bolivians—especially those with higher education. Although migration means for many the possibility to send remittances, the depreciation of class status may also have long-term consequences for life chances. These findings provide new insights to the outcomes of migration.
To address these gaps, the GLAM project studied migration flows originating in South America, where 70% of migration is intra-regional. The project included a case study and a comparative study of South Americans in Southern and Northern destinations, focusing on educational and labour market outcomes—key indicators of long-term life chances. Using individual, household, and neighbourhood census data, I selected specific migrant populations to explore these issues.
Case Study: the education of migrant-origin children in Argentina. The case study examined indicators of educational access and attainment for children of migrants in Argentina. It found that migrant-origin children, especially from Bolivia and Paraguay, performed better than Argentine-origin children—particularly when their parents had low education levels. However, when parents had higher education, children of migrants either achieved equally or faced disadvantages compared to Argentine children. Previous research suggests that the outperformance of migrant-origin children might be due to greater motivation and aspirations. However, migrants with higher cultural capital, such as better-educated parents, often struggle to fully transmit that capital, due to a lack of compensatory class resources like stable income, which are crucial for educational success. The study also shows that migrant-origin children born in Argentina had better educational outcomes than those born abroad, reflecting the role of time in the integration process.
Comparative Study 1: the education of Bolivian-origin youth in Argentina vs. their peers in Bolivia. Through the study of various indicators of access to education & educational attainment, the study reveals that Bolivian-origin youth born in Argentina and living with their (generally low-educated) parents occupied an intermediate position: they tended to do worse than Bolivians in Bolivia, with migrant-origin men being the most negatively affected, yet better than native Argentines. “Dissimilation” from origin appears to be related to greater educational expansion in Bolivia, to which Bolivian-origin children in Argentina were not exposed to. Conversely, “assimilation” to destination exceeded expectations, as observed for other migrant groups too. Assuming that next to being an asset, better education is an extra tool that allows the acquisition of other types of assets, such as a better job or higher income, we can delineate two perspectives on migration outcomes. The first perspective is more negative: migration to another country does not seem to have improved children’s life chances. The other is more positive and hopeful, highlighting the capacity of migrant-origin children to acquire human capital tools that facilitate better navigation of the system.
Comparative Study 2: labour market outcomes of migrants in Argentina and Spain. The second comparative study examined the labour market outcomes of Bolivian and Peruvian migrants in Argentina and Spain, and how this varied relative to non-migrants. Among other findings, I show that migration boosts activity rates among women in Spain; in Argentina, this effect is only observed for Peruvians. A higher proportion of women at work has the capacity of influencing gender roles, especially for nationalities where traditional roles predominate. I also found differences in terms of occupational status. While Peruvian migrant men have better occupational status than non-migrants, the opposite is observed for Peruvian women and Bolivians—especially those with higher education. Although migration means for many the possibility to send remittances, the depreciation of class status may also have long-term consequences for life chances. These findings provide new insights to the outcomes of migration.
I carried out activities in three main areas: research; dissemination & networking; and development of transferrable skills.
Research Activities included literature review—with the help from three junior scholars: Francesca Ferlicca, Melina Ibarra, and Bianca Converso— data collection, setup, and analysis, and writing of papers. Research outcomes have been published in leading migration and population journals: Revista Latinoamericana de Población (in Spanish), International Migration Review, and Ethnic and Racial Studies. Some of the outputs still need to be published but are available as working papers or conference presentations in GLAM’s website. One publication is forthcoming (2025) in Revista Internacional de Sociología, as part of the special issue I am co-editing on migration and multi-sited studies.
For Dissemination and Networking, I participated in conferences and seminars in South America and Europe, expanding my network. I organized two major events: the EURAC-UC3M Conference on EU-LA Dialogue on Migration and Integration in November 2023 and the International Conference on Migration as a Multi-Sited Phenomenon in April 2024. I also participated in outreach activities, including the European Researcher’s Night in Madrid (2021 & 2023).
As for Skill Development, I gained leadership experience and confidence in guiding research. I learned the challenges of project management, including organizing work and managing budgets. I also improved my teaching and supervising skills, developing syllabi for courses at UC3M and UNSAM, supervising master’s students at UC3M, and mentoring undergraduates in Argentina.
Research Activities included literature review—with the help from three junior scholars: Francesca Ferlicca, Melina Ibarra, and Bianca Converso— data collection, setup, and analysis, and writing of papers. Research outcomes have been published in leading migration and population journals: Revista Latinoamericana de Población (in Spanish), International Migration Review, and Ethnic and Racial Studies. Some of the outputs still need to be published but are available as working papers or conference presentations in GLAM’s website. One publication is forthcoming (2025) in Revista Internacional de Sociología, as part of the special issue I am co-editing on migration and multi-sited studies.
For Dissemination and Networking, I participated in conferences and seminars in South America and Europe, expanding my network. I organized two major events: the EURAC-UC3M Conference on EU-LA Dialogue on Migration and Integration in November 2023 and the International Conference on Migration as a Multi-Sited Phenomenon in April 2024. I also participated in outreach activities, including the European Researcher’s Night in Madrid (2021 & 2023).
As for Skill Development, I gained leadership experience and confidence in guiding research. I learned the challenges of project management, including organizing work and managing budgets. I also improved my teaching and supervising skills, developing syllabi for courses at UC3M and UNSAM, supervising master’s students at UC3M, and mentoring undergraduates in Argentina.
The project makes several important contributions.
Improving Knowledge of Migrant Educational Integration: This research contributes to understanding migrant educational integration patterns in South America, bringing insights from the Global North to the South. A key finding is that migrant-origin individuals in destination countries often perform as well as or better than the native population, contrary to common public perceptions. Migrants, motivated by the desire for a better life, sometimes outperform the “natives.” However, migration can disrupt the intergenerational transmission of cultural and economic capital, especially for those who enter with more capital.
Expanding Multi-Site Approaches in Migration Studies: The study also advances multi-site approaches by comparing migrants across different destinations and with non-migrants, offering new perspectives on migration outcomes.
Mixed Consequences of Migration: The project adds to the literature showing that migration has mixed consequences for migrants and their children. While migration can open opportunities and improve life chances, it can also result in setbacks. It is crucial to adopt a long-term perspective that considers not only migrants but also their offspring.
Improving Knowledge of Migrant Educational Integration: This research contributes to understanding migrant educational integration patterns in South America, bringing insights from the Global North to the South. A key finding is that migrant-origin individuals in destination countries often perform as well as or better than the native population, contrary to common public perceptions. Migrants, motivated by the desire for a better life, sometimes outperform the “natives.” However, migration can disrupt the intergenerational transmission of cultural and economic capital, especially for those who enter with more capital.
Expanding Multi-Site Approaches in Migration Studies: The study also advances multi-site approaches by comparing migrants across different destinations and with non-migrants, offering new perspectives on migration outcomes.
Mixed Consequences of Migration: The project adds to the literature showing that migration has mixed consequences for migrants and their children. While migration can open opportunities and improve life chances, it can also result in setbacks. It is crucial to adopt a long-term perspective that considers not only migrants but also their offspring.