Individual and personal aspects in migration and social care

Citation

Watters, C. (2011), "Individual and personal aspects in migration and social care", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 7 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijmhsc.2011.54807baa.001

Individual and personal aspects in migration and social care

Article Type: Editorial From: International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Volume 7, Issue 2

While many theoretical orientations remain preoccupied with exploring structural aspects of migration, the role of individuals and families in decision making and social support of migrants is increasingly recognised. Recognition of the interrelatedness of both aspects has led to the formulation of multi-level theoretical models that examine the interrelation between macro, meso and micro levels of the migratory experience. At meso and micro levels, the importance of family and personal networks is viewed as important in both decision-making processes to migrate and in achieving social support in host societies. This phenomenon challenges widespread views of migrants as constituting a drain on public finance and resources. Families and friends may play vital roles in the support of migrants and buttress the impact of unaccommodating host societies. Personal aspects of migration may have undesired effects on countries of origin by draining vital professional resources at times of political and social upheaval.

Individual and personal aspects of migration are explored in the papers assembled here. Drawing on research in Denmark, Dorte Caswell, Kræn Blume Jensen and Helle Bendix Lauritzen examine the position of immigrant women who are supported by their families. They place family support in a wider context of the responses of Danish society to these women, notably the barriers they experience to employment and education. The personal also has a key role in the paper by Abel Chikanda, who examines processes of migration of Zimbabwean doctors. While structural aspects of this migration are often explored, the paper points to the role of individual career decisions and personal networks. The paper also highlights the potentially devastating implication of this migration for Zimbabwean society. M. Ekramul Hoque, Samson Tse and Fiona Rossen in the final two papers offer important perspectives on the relation between personal and social aspects in the area of injury prevention. Drawing on extensive work focusing on Asians in New Zealand, the researchers offer a detailed perspectives on migrants attitudes and the impact of variables in the host society. They also draw on the perspectives of key stakeholders in formulating an agenda for policy development and further research in this area.

Charles Watters