The Transnational Political Participation of Latin American and Caribbean Migrants Residing in Europe

peer reviewedMigration from Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries to Europe has increased in great proportions over the last decade. Researchers (principally from southern Europe) have tried to underscore the reasons explaining this phenomenon while also studying different questions related to the presence of these populations such as that of gender, development, or integration. While many of these works have integrated the transnational dimension of contemporary migration, little has been said so far on the capacity of these migrants to develop transnational political ties and what this means for sending and receiving societies. This publication seeks to address this gap by looking at forms of transnational political involvement as they develop among different LAC communities in different parts of Europe

Migration and Social Protection in Europe and Beyond (Volume 3)

This third and last open access volume in the series takes the perspective of non-EU countries on immigrant social protection. By focusing on 12 of the largest sending countries to the EU, the book tackles the issue of the multiple areas of sending state intervention towards migrant populations. Two “mirroring” chapters are dedicated to each of the 12 non-EU states analysed (Argentina, China, Ecuador, India, Lebanon, Morocco, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey). One chapter focuses on access to social benefits across five core policy areas (health care, unemployment, old-age pensions, family benefits, guaranteed minimum resources) by discussing the social protection policies that non-EU countries offer to national residents, non-national residents, and non-resident nationals. The second chapter examines the role of key actors (consulates, diaspora institutions and home country ministries and agencies) through which non-EU sending countries respond to the needs of nationals abroad. The volume additionally includes two chapters focusing on the peculiar case of the United Kingdom after the Brexit referendum. Overall, this volume contributes to ongoing debates on migration and the welfare state in Europe by showing how non-EU sending states continue to play a role in third country nationals’ ability to deal with social risks. As such this book is a valuable read to researchers, policy makers, government employees and NGO’s

Immigrants’ Access to Welfare across EU27: Comparative Insights from the ERC-funded project MiTSoPro

Migration and Transnational Social Protection in (post) crisis Europe (MiTSoPro

« ¿Bienvenidos a Miami? »

En retraçant les principales évolutions de la migration cubaine vers la Floride, cet article s’attache à expliquer la transformation du pouvoir économique dans l’enclave cubaine américaine de Miami en pouvoir politique. Après une période d’activisme qui voit triompher le courant conservateur, la communauté s’engage sur la voie du lobbying ethnique au début des années 1980. La cohésion et le contrôle social dans l’enclave sur lesquels s’appuie la Cuban American National Foundation illustre la force de la communauté dans sa lutte pour une politique étrangère américaine ferme à l’égard de Cuba. Toutefois, l’auteur émet l’hypothèse que l’arrivée de migrants économiques et l’ascension de la seconde génération entame la cohésion idéologique de la communauté. En révélant les dissensions nouvelles, l’auteur démontre l’émergence de pratiques transnationales dans la communauté.« ¿Bienvenidos a Miami? ». Cuban American Politics from 1959 to 2004Through a review of the main events that shaped Cuban migration to the United States, the article focuses on the transformation of Cuban Americans’ economic power into political power. After a period of internal struggle that sees the conservative stream overcoming the other political streams, from 1980 onwards, the community becomes active in the field of ethnic lobbying. Social control and cohesion in the community are two elements that are used to explain the success of the community (and its most famous advocacy group, the Cuban American National Foundation) in promoting a harsh American foreign policy towards Cuba. The author however argues that signs of dissensions have recently appeared due the different visions brought about by recently arrived migrants and the second generation Cuban American. The article concludes by replacing those dissensions into the context of emerging transnational practices in the community.« ¿Bienvenidos a Miami? ». La política cubana americana de 1959 a 2004Mediante el repaso a los principales sucesos que caracterizaron la emigración cubana hacia el Estado Norteamericano de Florida, el presente artículo se aproxima al origen de la transformación del poder económico en poder político de la comunidad cubanoamericana. A partir de 1980, despues de un periodo de luchas internas que llevó al conservadurismo al frente de la comunidad, ésta comienza su actividad en el campo del lobbying étnico. Cohesión y control social son la base del éxito de esta comunidad (y de sus célebre Fundación Nacional Cubano Americana) en la promoción de una rígida política exterior norteamericana hacia Cuba. El autor, no obstante, plantea la hipótesis de las primeras disensiones internas : la segunda generación de cubanoamericanos y la llegada de nuevos inmigrantes cubanos al territorio norteamericano han traído consigo una nueva perspectiva fuente de conflicto con la primera generación. Finalemente, el autor reflexiona sobre los efectos de dichas disensiones en el contexto de las emergentes actividades transnacionales de la communidad

La participation politique transnationale des Belges expatriés : un cas d’exportation des divisions ethniques ?

Comment le conflit ethno-linguistique opposant Flamands et Francophones en Belgique se répercute-t-il parmi les populations belges expatriées ? En s’appuyant sur les concepts de nationalisme de longue-distance et de transnationalisme, l’auteur étudie le transfert de clivages politiques du pays d’origine vers les communautés émigrées. Il examine les conditions dans lesquelles les associations d’expatriés belges ont été créées, rend compte du débat parlementaire sur le droit de vote à distance et compare les résultats électoraux entre électeurs résidents et expatriés. Ces analyses donnent lieu à deux conclusions majeures. D’une part, les émigrés sont une ressource utilisée par les partis politiques pour asseoir leur pouvoir sur la scène politique interne et d’autre part, l’opinion politique des expatriés évolue de façon similaire à celle des électeurs résidents.How does the ethno-linguistic conflict between Flemish and Walloons materialize itself among Belgian expatriate communities? Using the concepts of transnationalism and long-distance nationalism, this article studies the transfer of political cleavages among emigrant communities. To do so, I examine the conditions that led to the creation of Belgian emigrant associations abroad, I analyse parliamentary debates on the right to vote of expatriates in home country elections and I compare the electoral behaviour of expatriate and resident voters. This analysis leads me to two major conclusions. First, emigrants are resources that serve home country political parties to strengthen their position at home. Second, the political behaviour of Belgian emigrants evolves similarly to that of resident voters.¿Cómo el conflicto etnolingüístico entre flamencos y francófonos en Bélgica repercute entre las poblaciones belgas expatriadas? Apoyado por los conceptos de nacionalismo de larga distancia y de transnacionalismo, el presente artículo estudia la transferencia de divisiones políticas del país de origen hacia sus comunidades en el exterior. En ese sentido, el artículo examina las condiciones en que las asociaciones de expatriados belgas han sido creadas, analiza el debate parlamentario sobre el derecho al voto a distancia y compara los resultados electorales entre votantes residentes y expatriados. Este análisis da lugar a dos principales conclusiones: por una parte, los emigrantes son un recurso utilizado por los partidos políticos para reforzar su poder en la escena política interna; por otra parte, la opinión política de los expatriados evoluciona de manera similar a la de los electores residentes

Contributing to democracy in countries of origin: the external vote of Andean migrants

Este artículo analiza cómo las prácticas políticas de los migrantes contribuyen a la calidad de las democracias en sus países de origen. Para ello nos centramos en el fenómeno del «voto externo», comparando las experiencias de tres países andinos: Colombia, Bolivia y Perú. En los tres casos se han creado mecanismos de inclusión política de los nacionales residentes en el exterior, pero en contextos históricos, socioeconómicos y políticos diferentes y con diversos resultados.This article analyses how migrants’ transnational political practices contribute to the quality of democratic systems in their countries of origin. It focuses on the phenomenon of the «external vote», comparing experiences from three Andean countries: Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. In all three cases, mechanisms to politically include nationals residing abroad have been created, but in different historical, socioeconomic and political contexts, as well as with diverse results

The external voting right of Bolivians abroad: what role for emigrants in regime transformation in their homeland?

In this chapter, we propose to analyze the development of the external votingissue in the Bolivian political context between 2003 and 2009. Examiningthe evolution of relations between the Bolivian Government and its diaspora(particularly after the coming to power of Evo Morales Ayma in 2006), we willdemonstrate how the topic has progressively become central within Bolivianpolitics and how emigrants have played an active part in their own enfranchisement.In particular, we will see how "the process of change" instigated bythe Morales government has found an extension among citizens abroad. To doso, we will analyse different government documents, public interventions andinterviews of civil servants and representatives of civil society organizations. After the first part of this article on the path to the adoption of the 2009 electorallaw enfranchising citizens abroad, we shall proceed to an analysis of theelectoral behaviour of citizens abroad based on an exit-poll survey conductedwith citizens abroad during the Presidential Election on 6th December 2009.Fil: Hinojosa Gordonava, Alfonso. Universidad Mayor de San Andrés; BoliviaFil: Domenech, Eduardo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Cultura y Sociedad. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Cultura y Sociedad; ArgentinaFil: Lafleur, Jean Michel. Universidad de Lieja; Bélgic

Spanish Emigration in the European Union: Patters, Implications and Future Challenges

peer reviewedThis paper studies the relationships between immigra- tion and the welfare state in Spain from a triple per- spective. First, the role social bene ts may have had on the Spanish immigrant experience as a pull factor is analysed. The paper goes on to study the way immi- gration can affect the maintenance of the welfare state, investigating both the possible effects of the increased ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity on the support of the national population for the welfare state, as well as its effect on social spending in terms of monetary and health bene ts. Lastly, and changing perspective, the contribution of immigration to the maintenance of the private market for welfare services is assessed, espe- cially in terms of caring for dependents.Este trabajo estudia las relaciones existentes entre in- migración y Estado de bienestar en España desde una triple perspectiva. En primer lugar, se analiza el papel que las prestaciones sociales hayan podido tener en la experiencia inmigratoria española, como factor de atracción de los inmigrantes. A continuación, se es- tudia de qué manera la inmigración puede afectar al mantenimiento del Estado de bienestar, tanto inves- tigando los posibles efectos del aumento de la diver- sidad étnica, lingüística y cultural sobre el respaldo de la población nacional al Estado de bienestar, como su efecto sobre el gasto social en materia de prestacio- nes monetarias y salud. Por último, y cambiando de perspectiva, se pone en valor la contribución de la inmigración al sostenimiento del mercado privado de servicios de bienestar, especialmente en lo relativo al cuidado a dependientes

Migration de retour, genre et remises sociales : le retour des migrantes boliviennes d’Espagne durant la crise économique

La crise économique et financière de 2008 a conduit de nombreuses femmes migrantes latino-américaines vivant en Espagne à rentrer dans leur pays d’origine. Par le biais de leur retour, de nouvelles normes, idées et pratiques – qualifiées de remises sociales – sont diffusées dans la société d’origine. En confrontant la littérature existante au cas des femmes migrantes boliviennes de Cochabamba, cet article tente d’identifier les variables déterminant le contenu de ces transferts et les modalités selon lesquels ils s’opèrent. Cette démarche révèle notamment l’importance dans la transmission des remises sociales par les migrantes de leur perception quant à la perméabilité de la société d’origine.The 2008 economic and financial crisis led many Latin American female migrants living in Spain to return to their home country. With their return, different ideas, norms and practices – known as social remittances – are diffused in the home country. Using the existing literature and empirical data collected with Bolivian returnees, this article seeks to identify the variables that determine the content of such remittances and the modalities through which they are transferred. Doing so, we underscore the importance of migrants’ perception on the permeability of the home country on the transmission of social remittances.La crisis económica y financiera de 2008 llevó muchas mujeres latinoamericanas viviendo en España a regresar a su país de origen. A través de su regreso, nuevas normas, ideas y prácticas – conocidas como remesas sociales – son difundidas en sus sociedades de origen. En base a la literatura existente y al caso de las mujeres migrantes bolivianas de Cochabamba, este artículo busca identificar las variables que determinan el contenido de dichas remesas y las modalidades a través de las cuales operan. Así, este procedimiento revela la importancia para la transmisión de las remesas sociales de la percepción de las migrantes sobre la permeabilidad de la sociedad de origen

Restrictions on Access to Social Protection by New Southern European Migrants in Belgium

peer reviewedDespite the fact that the global financial crisis has affected Belgium’s economic performance, the country has continued to be an attractive destination for migrants. Recently, however, there has been a dramatic change in migrant flows to Belgium, as a result of two phenomena. First and foremost, the country has experienced large inflows of post-accession migration from Central and Eastern European citizens. Second, 40 years after the end of the guest worker programmes, the economic crisis reactivated migration from Southern Europe. One important consequence of the economic crisis and the arrival of Central and Eastern European migrants has been the growing scepticism that has developed in Belgium towards the freedom of circulation. This has led the authorities to implement specific policies aimed at discouraging further migration of low-skilled EU migrants, who are deemed undesirable. In this chapter, we analyse a specific policy consisting of the removal of residence permits from EU jobseekers who claim social security benefits in Belgium. This policy has affected both Central and Eastern European as well as new Southern European EU migrants.Examining the mobilization of different organizations, we then show that—while they are numerically fewer—new Southern European immigrants are in a better position than other new immigrants in Belgium to challenge receiving country policies that target them