Social Comparisons in Migration and Inequality Studies: A Literature Review and Evidence from a Pilot Study

Sienkiewicz JJ, Hapke P, Faist T. Social Comparisons in Migration and Inequality Studies: A Literature Review and Evidence from a Pilot Study. SFB 882 Working Paper Series. Vol 55. Bielefeld: DFG Research Center (SFB) 882 From Heterogeneities to Inequalities; 2016.Theories and research in the area of social comparisons assume that the tendency toward such comparisons is universal. When investigating what people tend to focus on when making comparisons, many scholars have dealt with questions such as: with whom; under what circumstances; and in which realms? But one question has remained almost unexplored: what role does the migration experience play in social comparisons? In this article, we draw attention to this important research topic. Qualitative analysis carried out in Project C3 in the SFB 882 showed that migrants’ transnational comparisons were relevant to perceived inequalities (see Faist et al. 2015). Here, we present some quantitative evidence concerning migrants’ social comparisons based on the pilot study conducted by the SFB Project C1, which involved 200 first- and second-generation Turkish migrants in Germany. The findings indicate that the migration experience and transnational comparisons are important to some of these migrants, such as those who view the emotional experience (e.g., the extent of social support, respect, and recognition) as being better in Turkey. Data from this pilot study also provide insights into the possible challenges of sociological social comparison studies, which we discuss in this paper

Do you always get what you give? A mixed-methods approach to reciprocity within the informal (trans)national social protection networks of migrants

Sienkiewicz JJ. Do you always get what you give? A mixed-methods approach to reciprocity within the informal (trans)national social protection networks of migrants. COMCAD Arbeitspapiere - Working Papers. Vol 153. Bielefeld: COMCAD - Center on Migration, Citizenship and Development; 2017

Informal Social Protection Networks of Migrants: Typical Patterns in Different Transnational Social Spaces

Bilecen B, Sienkiewicz JJ. Informal Social Protection Networks of Migrants: Typical Patterns in Different Transnational Social Spaces. Population, Space and Place. 2015;21(3):227-243

Informelle (trans-)nationale soziale Sicherung von Kasachstandeutschen in Deutschland

Sienkiewicz JJ. Informelle (trans-)nationale soziale Sicherung von Kasachstandeutschen in Deutschland. In: Kaiser M, Schönhuth M, eds. Zuhause? Fremd?: Migrations- und Beheimatungsstrategien zwischen Deutschland und Eurasien. bibliotheca eurasica. Bielefeld: transcript Verlag; 2015: 355-378

The Kazakh–German social space: decreasing transnational ties and symbolic social protection

Sienkiewicz JJ, Sadovskaya Y, Amelina A. The Kazakh–German social space: decreasing transnational ties and symbolic social protection. Population, Space and Place. 2015;21(3):270-281.Through migration, expectations and obligations of social protection can change and migrants can be faced with the situation where they are not able to fulfil these new expectations, for example, because of a lack of (financial) resources. The sending of parcels to Kazakhstan will be used in this paper as an example of one form of symbolic protection - by which we mean protection where the symbolic value is very high whilst the material value is low - within the German-Kazakh social space, which allows migrants to maintain transnational ties and be the provider of protection to their relatives left behind. Drawing on interviews collected in a multi-sited matched sample approach, we demonstrate that when family members in both countries compare life chances, a transnational space of comparison' emerges. Transnational comparisons in the German-Kazakh social space shape expectations of reciprocity in informal protection that often diverge from those within the national space. For example, migrants in Germany can be defined by their family members as in need of protection within a national network but at the same time as providers of protection within transnational networks. We argue that transnational comparisons can lead to inequalities within multi-locally organised families, such as the exclusion of migrants in Germany from transnational informal protection. Our study contributes to the literature on social protection by drawing attention to a form of protection in transnational spaces that has low material but high symbolic value, indicating the symbolic dimension of social protection. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Safety Nets of Migrants across Borders: An Inquiry into Social Mechanisms of Inequality

Faist T, Bilecen B, Barglowski K, Sienkiewicz JJ, eds. Safety Nets of Migrants across Borders: An Inquiry into Social Mechanisms of Inequality. Population, Space and Place. 2015;21(3)

Interviews und Netzwerkdaten von Migrant_innen aus Kasachstan in Deutschland und ihren Angehörigen in Kasachstan

Faist T, Barglowski K, Bilecen B, Sienkiewicz JJ. (2015): Interviews und Netzwerkdaten von Migrant_innen aus Kasachstan in Deutschland und ihren Angehörigen in Kasachstan. SFB 882. doi:10.4119/unibi/sfb882.2015.21.Der Datensatz umfasst qualitative und quantitative Daten. Die qualitative Daten besten aus Transkripten von teilstrukturierten Interviews mit Migrant_innen aus Kasachstan in Deutschland (n=20), ihren Angehörigen in Kasachstan sowie Personen ohne Migrationserfahrung in Kasachstan (n=15), Expert_inneninterviews in Deutschland und Kasachstan (n=8), Berichte über Dokumentenanalysen der (sozial-)rechtlichen Situation von Kasachstandeutschen in Deutschland und Kasachstan (n=2), sowie einen Netzwerkdatensatz über informelle soziale Sicherung in den Bereichen Pflege und Fürsorge, Informationsaustausch und finanzielle Unterstützung (n=100)

Interviews und Netzwerkdaten von Migrant_innen aus Kasachstan in Deutschland und ihren Angehörigen in Kasachstan

Faist T, Barglowski K, Bilecen B, Sienkiewicz JJ. (2015): Interviews und Netzwerkdaten von Migrant_innen aus Kasachstan in Deutschland und ihren Angehörigen in Kasachstan. SFB 882. doi:10.4119/unibi/sfb882.2015.21.Der Datensatz umfasst qualitative und quantitative Daten. Die qualitative Daten besten aus Transkripten von teilstrukturierten Interviews mit Migrant_innen aus Kasachstan in Deutschland (n=20), ihren Angehörigen in Kasachstan sowie Personen ohne Migrationserfahrung in Kasachstan (n=15), Expert_inneninterviews in Deutschland und Kasachstan (n=8), Berichte über Dokumentenanalysen der (sozial-)rechtlichen Situation von Kasachstandeutschen in Deutschland und Kasachstan (n=2), sowie einen Netzwerkdatensatz über informelle soziale Sicherung in den Bereichen Pflege und Fürsorge, Informationsaustausch und finanzielle Unterstützung (n=100)