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Migratory Work

International Conference

Migratory Work. Migratory Workers in the Global Market for Labor

Time: July 3/4th, 2003

Place: Studies Center at the Karl Marx House - Trier

Organizer: Institute for Regional and Migration Research (IRM)

contact@irm-trier.de, www.irm-trier.de
Conference Languages: German and English

Migration is still in many cases considered as an exceptional case – as a unique event that differs from ”settledness” which is the normal condition. But the results of recent migration research show that migratory movements of people are a component more central to social developments and human biography. In the final consideration, migratory movements are compensatory processes that take place both within societies as well as between different societies and continents. An important reason for migratory movements in the modern age has been the spreading of European power throughout the world since the end of the 15th century. In the course of voluntary and forced colonization, intended and non-intended, independent and officially promoted/supported migratory movements have proven to be an enduring worldwide dynamic. But there have also been countless and extensive migratory movements before, for example, in the course of the migration of the Peoples, but in the modern age the possibilities for migration have themselves expanded considerably, due to technical and economic developments - particularly in the areas of transportation and communication. Emerging from regional and continental migrations, strong transcontinental migratory movements have also arisen.

As compensatory processes migratory movements are always in close association with the social, political, economic and demographic developments of societies. For modern societies particularly the direction and control of migratory labor has become the center of focus - and this is not only in the 20th century, which has been characterized by many authors as the "Century of Migration". Thus for modern, industrial, capitalist societies - and particularly for their centers - the sufficient availability of workers is an important requirement for economic prosperity and, as a consequence, for societal health.

In the context of the conference "Migratory Work. Migratory Workers in the Global Market for Labor" different aspects of migratory labor from various regions of the world shall be developed as themes and a closer look at them taken from an interdisciplinary approach: When and under what conditions is migratory labor time-restricted and/or lengthy? Which spatial dimensions do they have? Are there specific models for migratory movements? What legal frameworks or conditions apply? Which consequences do migratory movements have for the political structures within nation-states? Which direction and control mechanisms are used? How are migration decisions taken? Do factors like sex, age and status play a role? Which consequences do such decisions have for the persons affected, their relatives and their social environments?

Thursday July 3rd, 2003

Arrival at 11:30 AM, with informal café and snacks

12.00 - 19.00 PM

Welcoming and Opening Address of the Conference
Thomas Geisen, M.A. sociologist

Plenary 1: Concerning the Theory of Migratory Labor

• "Mobile Work. About the History of Seasonal and Migratory Work" Jan Lucassen, Prof. Dr., International Institute for Social History, Amsterdam
• "Segmentation, Deportation and State. Regarding the Theory and Analysis of Labor and Migration" Christian Sigrist, Prof. Em. Dr., University of Münster
• "State, Welfare and Population. A System-Approach of Labourmigration”
  Michael Bommes, Prof. Dr., University of Osnabrück

Plenary 2: Migratory Labor, Nation-state and Legislation

• "Transitions from Employees to Employers. Social Structures and Biographical Aspects"
  Maria Kontos, Dr., University of Frankfur
• "Expatriates: Migration and Skilled Labour" Rose Babaa Folton, Prof. Dr., University of Toronto
• „Migration and the Laws: A Study of Aspects of the Legal Frameworks in India and the United Kingdom“ Nanda Kishore, LL.M., Bangalore, Indien
• "Between the 'Acquisition of Guest Workers' and the New Immigration Law. Concerning the Legal Basis of Migratory Labor in Germany" Ilyas Uyar, University of Trier

Friday July 4th, 2003

9:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Plenary 3: Concerning the Development of Regional Migration Systems

• "Transnational Gendered Spaces: European Border-Regimes and Transnationalisation of Migration in Europe" Sabine Hess, M.A./ Dipl. Soz. Vassilis Tsianos University of Frankfurt
• "Pendulum Migration or Transmigration? The Example of Labor Moving Between Puebla/Mexiko and New York" Ludger Pries, Prof. Dr., University of Bochum
• "Migratory Work as a Cultural Dimension in Southeast Asia. Regional Results and Conclusions for Theories of Migratory Labor" Christoph Antweiler, Prof. Dr., University of Trier
• "Labor Migration in Sudan" Ikhlas Nouh Osman, University of Bielefeld

12:30 -- 14:30 PM

Midday Pause

14.30 – 19.00 PM

• „Beyond Dragon and Chop-Suey. Chinese Labour Migration in Germany” Maggi Leung, Dr., The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• „Making Sense of Conflicts. Cross-Border Identities of Filipina/ Filipino Domestic Workers in Germany” Kyoko Shinozaki, M.Sc ., University of Münster and Ochanomizu University, Tokyo
• „Migration and Domestic Work. the Case of Moldavian Female Migrants in Turkey“ Selmin Kaska, Dr., Marmara University of Istanbul
• "Moroccan Women in Spanish Households: Concerning the Meaning of Status and Gender in Migration Processes" Rosa Maria Jiménez Laux, Dr., University of Flensburg
• "The Chinese labour question and the imperial working class in early 20th century Britain and South Africa " Dagmar Engelken, University of Essex

Institute for Regional and Migration Research (IRM)

As part of the activities of the Institute for Regional and Migration Research (IRM) the causes, conditions and results of migration processes will be examined. Migration is understood to be a social fact, which is subject to structural conditions - politically and economically - and is also actively formed as a result of subjective decisional processes. Therefore an examination of the network of interdependent relationships arising from migration shall be concretely delineated into specific structural regions and areas of activity; the examination will be conducted in connection with a program of interdisciplinary research. In addition, through seminars and the publication of a series of books by the Frankfurter IKO-Verlag, the actual results of such regional and migration research will be introduced and made accessible to researchers and the general public.

Place of the Event:

Studies Center of the Karl Marx House

Johannisstr. 28, 54290 Trier

Contact:

Institute for Regional and Migration Research (IRM)

contact@irm-trier.de, www.irm-trier.de

Organizer:

Institute for Regional and Migration Research (IRM)
Heinrich Böll Foundation - RLP

Partners in Cooperation:

• State Headquarters for Political Education - RLP
• University of Trier, FB IV Ethnology
• DGB Region Trier
• Multicultural Center of Trier
• International Center (Internationales Zentrum) at the University of Trier
• Academic Foreign Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) at the University of Trier
• Initiative Committee for Migration Politics - RLP
• Changing Views hbs Hamburg (Umdenken hbs Hamburg)
• Educational Workshop of Berlin hbs (Bildungswerk Berlin der hbs)

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