Student lecture on Transnationalism, Migration and Development

1. Development Theories
Session 11:
Transnationalism, Mobility and
Development
René Vermeulen

2. Outline:
• Introduction
– Link migration to development
• Literature review
• Migration for development
– The case of Ghanacoop
– Michael Clemens; “true globalization”

3. Introduction
Link migration to development

4. Link migration to development

5. Introduction
• Some figures and numbers on migration and
remittances
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcoOENLf
pUI&feature=player_detailpage#t=2s

6. Literature

7. • Boom in migration and development research; but
with clear distinction between theories of migration
and theories of development.
• “We still need to work on *…+ an integral vision that
addresses the root causes of the considerable
asymmetries among countries and the social
inequalities that dominate contemporary capitalism.”
(2009, p.87).
• And: no attention for the underdeveloped context of
the migrant-sending countries.

8. Goal: “this article underscores the need for a theoretical
approach based on the political economy of
development” (2009).
This means:
Remittances are larger than FDI investmentreceive
Remittances: estimated 500 million people flows
and more than double 2007). From estimated $85 B in
remittances (UNDP, ODA
2000 to $199 B in 2006 (WB, 2006).
Including unrecorded flows: +- 50% of the above extra.

9. Three sections in article:
1. Overview of current models for analyzing
migration-development relationship;
2. New analytical model based on the political
economy of development;
3. The ideas underlying the alternative
analytical model.

10. 1. Current models
and trends
Two trends in analytical approaches:
The vicious circle and the virtuous circle
“considers migration “migratory processes
incapable of inducing with consolidated
dynamics of development social networks and
established migrant
in places of origin
organizations capable
(leading to more emigration)” of assisting local and
regional
development”.

11. • Virtuous trend has gained far more notoriety.
Means: migration is seen as capable of bringing development.
The virtuous circle is based upon:
• Remittances and productive investment;
• Transnationalism and development;
• Co-development (developed in receiving
country)
• Migrant social subjects and local development

12. 2. Towards a new
theoretical approach
• The political economy of migration and development
• International migration should be incorporated in the
field of development studies and because processes
of (under)development should be considered the
source of international migration.
• In other words: in a global context!
• Not: But:

13. Links between international migration and development:
• Underdevelopment constitutes a catalyst for forced
migration to developed countries
• Migrants contribute to the receiving country’s
development
• Migrants help maintain precarious socio-economic
stability in their countries of origin
• The promotion of development as a social
transformation could contain forced migration

14. 3. Underlying ideas
“In order to study migration, its cause-and-effect interrelation
with development, and the different stages that are integral to
this dialectical interaction, we must take into account two
fundamental analytical dimensions:
Strategic practices and structural dynamics”

15. The theoretical approach of this article focuses
on:
1. Critical approach towards neo-liberal globalization
2. Critical reconstitution of development studies
3. Construction of an ‘agent of change’
4. Reassessment of migration and development
studies
These are fundamental for understanding the
relationship between migration and development.

16. • Interest on migration – development nexus has
increased in the past few years.
Article answers three questions:
1. what is new and what is old about the current
‘mantra’ of the migration-development nexus?
2. with regard to sustained cross-border
transactions, which and what kind of transnational
ties benefit development?
3. why is there a new enthusiasm about migration
and development at this particular point in time?

17. • The history of thinking on the migration –
development nexus:
Phase 1: 60s
migration and development-remittances and return
• economic modernization concepts
• Labor gaps in North, development in South
Phase 2: 70s/80s
underdevelopment and migration-poverty and brain
drain
• dependency theories + world system theory.

18. Phase 3: 90s onwards
migration and co-development- the celebration of
circulation
• globalization, network society, world society.
• migration supposed to fuel development in south, not only
financial and human capital but also via knowledge flows and
social remittances

19. What is new?
• The concept of migrants as transnational
agents, “diasporic” actors.
• Migrants still fundamental for development (even if there
is no eventual return) through associations but also
“informal diaspora knowledge networks”.
“Diaspora/transnational communities are communities
without propinquity, built primarily not on geographical
closeness but on a series of social and symbolic ties that
connect ethnic, religious and professional diasporas.”

20. Why now?
• Changing concepts of development:
statehood, the market and transnational civil
society and community
• Geo-political changes: new role of diasporas
• Coupling of migration and development aid

21. • Emergence of a new trend in the international
community: GRT global remittances
trend, focused on the potential of remittances
for poverty reduction and development.
• Causes:
1) Growing awareness of migratory processes.
2) Lack of resources to finance MDG’s

22. • This implies a major shift in thinking about
migration and development.
• Traditionaly migration was seen as:
1) a completly distinct area of concern from
development
2) the outcome of lacking or failed
development

23. • Starting from the 90’s:
– New paradigm= migration and develoment nexus
(positive) [think of article Faist, phase 3]
– Migration not seen as a problem but as a tool for
development
– Tendency to instrumentalise migration and
remittances for development

24.  GRT = gender neutral or gender blind? It is necessary to
broader the concept of remittances:
1) There are different typologies of remittances (different
use/function)
- Wages / salaries
- Investments
- Capital
2) Remittances mean also:
- social remittances
- technical remittances
- political remittances
3) Remittances as a transnational activity
4) Importance of contexts

25. • Regarding gender and remittances
Many unverified stereotypes:
1) Men are mainly remittances senders and women mainly
(passive) remittances receivers
2) When senders, women send more remittances than men
3) Women make better use of remittances than men
With empirical researches contradictory
and complex findings  importance of
specific context-culture analysis.

26.  Implications of these stereotypes. They:
1) Naturalise and reproduce gender norms and gendered
forms of behaviour;
2) Contribute shaping policy-making and development
initiatives.
 Conclusion:
More gender-specific analysis of the gender implications
of GRT on the ground and more in general researches on
different dimensions of collective remittances.

27. Examples and discussion
• Ghanacoop
• Michael Clemens: true globalization as
solution

28. • http://www.un.org/esa/population/migration/turin/Turin_Statements/MCCARTHY.pdf

29. • http://www.un.org/esa/population/migration/turin/Turin_Statements/MCCARTHY.pdf

30. • http://www.un.org/esa/population/migration/turin/Turin_Statements/MCCARTHY.pdf

31. • http://www.un.org/esa/population/migration/turin/Turin_Statements/MCCARTHY.pdf

32. The case of Ghanacoop
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQBhmQd
3K5c

33. Discussion
• Transnational migrant networks
are the answer for underdeveloped
countries.

34. Michael Clemens
The biggest idea in development no one really tried.
Background on him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLoP9GalIHc
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00kktgp
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB1hRNMGdbQ&feature=relmfu
• Michael Clemens on labor mobility and true
globalization as solution
True globalization: “everything AND labor
globalization”

35. Discussion
True globalization is the answer for international
development.