Albanian seasonal work migration to Greece: a case of last resort?
Albanian seasonal work migration to Greece: a case of last resort?
This chapter discusses post-communist migration from Albania to neighbouring Greece, with particular reference to seasonal flows. Albania’s emigration rate as a share of the country’s resident population is amongst the highest in the world, having increased rapidly in the last 25 years from a base of nearly zero during the communist rule. This unique context provides fertile ground to investigate ways in which migration links with development, particularly in post-socialist societies. The research which this chapter is based on is part of such endeavour and stems from the author’s doctoral work. Hosting by far the vast majority of Albanian migrants, Greece has offered them valuable opportunities, while also meting out on them discrimination and exploitation. Amongst the most disadvantaged are seasonal migrants who are often lower-skilled individuals from poor backgrounds in rural Albania, and usually work in the agricultural sector in Greece, at times in deplorable conditions. Through their stories and experiences we begin to understand the reasons behind their decision to take this particular migration trajectory, and its impacts on migrants’ families and areas of origin. The findings have wider application, given the structural demand for agricultural labour as well as rapid ageing throughout industrialised societies.
Balkans, Albania, seasonal migration, temporary migration, circular migration, remittances, Roma
978-3-319-13718-6
143-160
Vullnetari, Julie
463db806-c809-43d6-9795-1104e3a5788b
14 June 2015
Vullnetari, Julie
463db806-c809-43d6-9795-1104e3a5788b
Vullnetari, Julie
(2015)
Albanian seasonal work migration to Greece: a case of last resort?
In,
Vermeulen, Hans, Baldwin-Edwards, Martin and Van Boeschoten, Riki
(eds.)
Migration in the Southern Balkans: From Ottoman Territory to Globalized Nation States.
(IMISCOE Research Series)
New York, US.
Springer, .
Record type:
Book Section
Abstract
This chapter discusses post-communist migration from Albania to neighbouring Greece, with particular reference to seasonal flows. Albania’s emigration rate as a share of the country’s resident population is amongst the highest in the world, having increased rapidly in the last 25 years from a base of nearly zero during the communist rule. This unique context provides fertile ground to investigate ways in which migration links with development, particularly in post-socialist societies. The research which this chapter is based on is part of such endeavour and stems from the author’s doctoral work. Hosting by far the vast majority of Albanian migrants, Greece has offered them valuable opportunities, while also meting out on them discrimination and exploitation. Amongst the most disadvantaged are seasonal migrants who are often lower-skilled individuals from poor backgrounds in rural Albania, and usually work in the agricultural sector in Greece, at times in deplorable conditions. Through their stories and experiences we begin to understand the reasons behind their decision to take this particular migration trajectory, and its impacts on migrants’ families and areas of origin. The findings have wider application, given the structural demand for agricultural labour as well as rapid ageing throughout industrialised societies.
Text
Vullnetari (2014) Seasonal migr AL-GR_OA.pdf
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Published date: 14 June 2015
Keywords:
Balkans, Albania, seasonal migration, temporary migration, circular migration, remittances, Roma
Organisations:
Economy, Governance & Culture
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 377139
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/377139
ISBN: 978-3-319-13718-6
PURE UUID: 8cb03086-ed01-4133-81f1-574a65bc81af
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Date deposited: 15 May 2015 10:57
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:50
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Contributors
Editor:
Hans Vermeulen
Editor:
Martin Baldwin-Edwards
Editor:
Riki Van Boeschoten
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