Introduction

"Family migration" and "integration" are intimately related concepts in policy discourses in Europe today. Assumptions about the relation between "family migration" and "integration" play a crucial role in shaping policies. This special issue aims to examine the axis between "family migration," "policy," and "integration," both from a policy perspective, and from the perspective of individuals engaged in family migration. In this introduction, we first discuss scholarly work on family migration policies in Europe, which analyzes how policies and discourses on family migration and integration participate in the politics of belonging. Second, we explore the fragmented and incomplete insights offered by existing research about the actual relation between family migration and migrant integration

Patient-centered care can be improved by joint meetings between cancer patient group leaders and health care providers

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Congolese migrants' economic trajectories in Europe and after return

This chapter describes Congolese migrants’ occupational trajectories during their stay in Europe and after their return to DR Congo, as well as their economic contributions to their home country during their stay in Europe. Congolese migrants fare poorly on the labour market in Europe. Employment rates are low, and migrants with a job are much more likely to be in low-skilled jobs when they are living in Europe than when living in DR Congo. Better-educated migrants perform better, but a significant proportion of them are also employed below their level of qualification. Despite their difficulties in integrating into the labour market, a large share of Congolese migrants send money back home. In the Congolese context, where economic conditions have seriously deteriorated since the 1990s, remittances from migrants are an important way of helping families staying in DR Congo. In contrast, investments and contributions to the non-profit sector are limited, perhaps because of DR Congo's risky economic environment