Erka Çaro | University of Jyväskylä (original) (raw)

Papers by Erka Çaro

Research paper thumbnail of Intra-EU Mobility: The Employment and Welfare Experience of Temporary EU Workers in the United Kingdom

Two Homelands, 2021

This article explores the mobility pathways of temporary EU workers and the implications that tra... more This article explores the mobility pathways of temporary EU workers and the implications that transnational temporary mobility has on their labor market outcomes and access to social rights and benefits. The experiences of temporary EU migrants working in the UK show that despite the narrative of the borderlessness of the common European labor market, access to host countries’ labor market and welfare is shaped by their employment status and welfare eligibility criteria that produce worker precariousness. Temporary EU workers’ experiences are characterized by employment insecurity and unequal access to labor and social rights, effects which might increase since the UK has left the EU.

Research paper thumbnail of Empowerment or a double burden? Work, family, and agency among Albanian migrant women in Greece

Gender, Place & Culture

Traditional gender roles are redefined during the migration process as some women gain more econo... more Traditional gender roles are redefined during the migration process as some women gain more economic independence and can challenge the power hierarchies within the domestic sphere. Drawing on 36 biographical interviews with Albanian migrants in Greece, the analysis highlights the importance of gender, work, and agency in the migration process. By taking on the main breadwinner role, in response to high levels of male unemployment, Albanian women in Greece have challenged the traditional gender roles and division of labour within the domestic domain. Thus, women's empowerment has come at the cost of having to bear the double burden of working both within and outside of the household. The notion of 'reflexive agency' provides us with an in-depth understanding of the complex ways Albanian women are negotiating change, and of the power dynamics that have emerged as a result of shifts in gender role configurations.

Research paper thumbnail of ‘I am the God of the House’: How Albanian Rural Men Shift their Performance of Masculinities in the City

Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies

Abstract Migration triggers significant developments in gender norms and identities. Cultural and... more Abstract Migration triggers significant developments in gender norms and identities. Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and shifts the performances of masculinity and/or femininity. Scholars have mainly focused on its impact on women, overlooking its importance in shaping men’s identity. This paper focuses on rural migrant men moving to the city. It explores the strategies they use to renegotiate traditional performances of masculinities in the context of their spatial dislocation and wider socioeconomic developments and urbanization in a suburb of Tirana, Albania. Using an ethnographic and auto-ethnographic narrative approach, this paper reveals that traditional performances of masculinities confronted with modernization are shifting and being reshaped in the new urban environment where generational differences and the emancipation of women are now apparent.

Research paper thumbnail of Becoming an EU citizen through Italy: the experience of Albanian immigrants

MONDI MIGRANTI, 2017

L’articolo esplora l’esperienza dell’acquisizione della cittadinanza italiana e, per estensione, ... more L’articolo esplora l’esperienza dell’acquisizione della cittadinanza italiana e, per estensione, della cittadinanza europea tra i migranti albanesi in Italia. In particolare, il contributo indaga le motivazioni che hanno spinto i migranti albanesi a richiedere la cittadinanza e le ripercussioni di tale scelta sul loro status, sull’accesso ai diritti sociali e al mercato del lavoro, nonche sulla loro identita. Inoltre, l’analisi si focalizza sugli effetti dell’ acquisizione della cittadinanza EU nelle vite, traiettorie lavorative e prospettive nella mobilita dei migranti. I dati empirici indicano che i migranti albanesi che hanno acquisito la cittadinanza italiana hanno vissuto un’esperienza di empowerment e di agency, che ha reso la loro presenza nel mercato del lavoro e nella societa italiana piu sicura. La consapevolezza tra i migranti albanesi dell’acquisizione della cittadinanza europea come derivato della cittadinanza italiana e aumentata durante il processo di naturalizzazione, principalmente per effetto dell’impatto della crisi economica sul mercato del lavoro italiano e della loro posizione di lavoratori. La cittadinanza italiana, diviene quindi una strategia per una maggiore integrazione e, in caso di necessita, per un’ulteriore migrazione.

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring Migration Experiences and Gender Dynamics through Biographical Interviews

Romanian Journal of Population Studies

This paper explores the challenges and advantages in conducting biographical research based on li... more This paper explores the challenges and advantages in conducting biographical research based on life narratives of 140 Albanian migrants in three host societies, Greece, Switzerland and Germany. This methodological paper is written in the context of the research project investigating the experience of industrial citizenship (IC) of labour migrants coming from the Western Balkans (WB) to the European Union (EU). We reinforce our biographical accounts with semi-structured interviews, visual methods, participant observations, field notes and expert interviews which will provide context to the biographical interview texts. This paper shed light into challenges emerging in the framework of ethnography research field work, addressing the ethnographic issue trust building, hierarchic position, gender, ethical dilemmas, resistance and technical issues as well. Moreover we discuss how self-reflexivity take place during the field work and challenges the professional and personal identity of researchers.

Research paper thumbnail of Returning and Re-Emigrating Gendered Trajectories of (Re)Integration from Greece.....    pg.171

Abstract The aim of this research paper is three fold: (1) to shed some light on the struggles Al... more Abstract
The aim of this research paper is three fold: (1) to shed some light on the struggles Albanian return migrants are facing in their psycho-social, cultural and labor market reintegration in the origin country, looking as well to the gendered trajectories of return and re-emigration(2) to highlight their gendered strategies in transferring back in their home country their financial, social and human capital;(3) to better understand the dynamic paths of their migration trajectories and finally (4) to push policy makers to put with high priority the returnees reintegration plan into the policy agenda. We base our analyze on 42 life stories of Albanian migrants, from which, 12 interviews with return migrants from Greece, 30 migrants that are actually in Greece (from which 50% have at least made an 1 attempt to return in Albania and 5 are circular migrants).The study found that: many Albanian migrants return to Albania to stay either temporary or permanently with the idea of investing in home country, though not all of them who return stay in Albania. Returnees and at a greater degree women, face lot struggles and difficulties in their psycho-social, cultural and economic reintegration upon their return, which make them mentally and psychologically vulnerable. Women experienced a sense of disempowerment, reconfiguration and re-traditionalisation of gender relationships upon their return. Labor market integration seem more problematic especially for returned women who faced a gendered gap in labor force participation1. Moreover, despite migrant willingness to invest their financial and social remittances in Albania by bringing new ideas in the labor market trend, they experience a sense of disillusion. Therefore, having no support system back home, remaining jobless and in many cases failing in their investment endeavors, make returnees consider further re-emigration as a surviving strategy. This study suggest that it is time for policy makers to compile with high priority and with a gender lens analysis a new National Migration Strategy and Return Reintegration strategy, while developing concrete and coherent measures upon returnees successful reintegration in the home country. This policy research brings at the policy agenda an holistic and multidisciplinary approach to returnee reintegration through better multi- level/stakeholder collaboration and dialogue.
Key words: return migrants, reintegration policies, gender, human, social and economic capital

Research paper thumbnail of 'I am the God of the house' Rural migrant men shifting their performance of masculinities in the city

Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and ... more Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and shifts the performances of masculinity and/or femininity. Migration triggers significant developments in gender norms and identities. Scholars have mainly focused on its impact on women, overlooking its importance in shaping men's identity. This paper focuses on male migrants, aiming for a better understanding of the interaction between gender and migration.

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of Blood Feuds on Women and Girls in Albania: How they can contribute to addressing the problem?

Research paper thumbnail of Migration and Human Resource Managment

International Human Resource Managment: An Employment Relation Perspective, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of From the Village to the City: The Adjustment Process of Internal Migrants in Albania

Abstract EN This thesis examines the adjustment process of Albanian rural migrants moving to the ... more Abstract EN This thesis examines the adjustment process of Albanian rural migrants moving to the cities, within the context of the capital city, Tirana. The study is based on an ethnographic approach and on qualitative material collected during 2008-2009. To gain ...

Drafts by Erka Çaro

Research paper thumbnail of 'I am the God of the house' Rural migrant men shifting their performance of masculinities in the city

Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and ... more Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and shifts the performances of masculinity and/or femininity. Migration triggers significant developments in gender norms and identities. Scholars have mainly focused on its impact on women, overlooking its importance in shaping men's identity. This paper focuses on male migrants, aiming for a better understanding of the interaction between gender and migration. We explore the strategies used by rural migrant men in the city to renegotiate traditional masculinities in the context of their spatial dislocation and wider socioeconomic developments and urbanization in a suburb of Tirana, Albania. The analyses draw on qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews, participant observations and field notes. Using an ethnographic and auto-ethnographic narrative approach, this paper reveals that masculinities confronted with modernization are shifting and being reshaped in the new urban environment where generational differences and the emancipation of women are now apparent. The paper also draws attention to the places where shifting masculinities are performed, arguing that gender identities are in continuous flux in space and time.

Research paper thumbnail of Xhaho, A. and Caro, E.(2016). Gendered Work-Family Balance in Migration:  Albanian Migrants in Greece. In Ducu, V. & Telegdi -Csetri, A. (eds.) Managing Difference in East-European Transnational Families. Germany:  Peter Lang Publishing.

This paper explores how Albanian migrant working parents in Greece, experience the pressure to ba... more This paper explores how Albanian migrant working parents in Greece, experience the pressure to balance their family life and work demands. Relying on 42 migrant ethnographies, we look particularly at the gendered negotiation of work and family conflicts, and how particularly our transnational mothers expand the concept of "hegemonic mothering". This research suggests how demanding and stressful was for migrant working parents in the host country in trying to balance their work and family life at the same time. Moreover, such findings add weight to a considerable body of previous research on 'time-based conflict'-with migrants parents investing more time working, while leaving behind parental roles. Our study found that parental childcare obligation reflected on migrant's socially embedded gender roles and traditional division of labor within the household. It was shown that a "good mother" was supposed to fit to maternal roles of "hegemonic mothering" and provide daily emotional and physical care for their children (though the reality of our transnational working mothers in Greece did not fit in this model), and the "good father" was supposed to be the breadwinner model, who at the extend of family incomes might endure physical and temporal separation from his children. The study found that working mothers were more likely that working fathers to experience pressure1 to perform their dual role as dutiful mother and prosperous worker. Moreover, migrant mothers experience the work-family conflicts to a greater extent than their male counterparts and they felt much guiltier for not fulfilling what they perceived to be the " social expectation of motherhood ". The study found that in the situation where Albanian men were left jobless, in time of the Greek economic crises, Albanian migrant mothers managed the situation by becoming simultaneously the primary providers and care givers. At the same time they become more vulnerable due to double exploitation-inside and outside home. Reconciliation of work and family demands are hardly done especially from migrant mothers employed in domestic sector, who are often obligated to work in precarious work arrangements, long working hours and unpredictable demands and shifts, making them facing a triple disadvantaged status, as migrants as women and as mothers.

Journal Articles by Erka Çaro

Research paper thumbnail of New Migration Challenges in the Western Balkans

The economic crisis and armed conflicts in Africa and Asia have triggered new migration trends an... more The economic crisis and armed conflicts in Africa and Asia have triggered new migration trends and challenges for neighbouring, transit and destination countries. The most important pathways have been those of non-EU migration such as asylum, irregular, and temporary. Most of the media, political and academic attention are focused on what is happening
in the EU countries with regards to migration while the facts and figures show that the recent migration and refugee flows are located in and transitioning through developing countries which carry the burden of
providing for a high number of asylum seekers. While EU countries have a long history of immigration and a developed legislation and infrastructure, other countries through which the majority of migrants transit, or even settle in lack such elements.

Research paper thumbnail of Posted Migration and Segregation in the European Construction Sector

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

Worker ’posting’, or temporary migration of blue-collar workers sent by their employers to work ... more Worker ’posting’, or temporary migration of blue-collar workers sent by their employers to work on projects abroad has become increasingly prominent in the European Union construction industry. It is now normal to find groups of workers from all around Europe on construction sites, living in nearby temporary accommodations, moving on to other projects, or back home when the project is complete. This article highlights the interaction between the social isolation and transnational mobility of these workers, and labour market segmentation in the EU construction labour market. We argue that the nature of the posted workers’ social world in their living environments contributes to their isolation from host societies, and reinforces a nationally based labour market segmentation of the European construction labour market. This is because posted workers, due to their mobility, cannot build the same structural resources in host societies and workplaces as more permanent migrants do.

KEYWORDS: labour migration, posted workers, temporary migration, transnational work, labour market segmentation, place making

Research paper thumbnail of Winners or Losers? The adjustment strategies of rural-to-urban migrants in Tirana, Albania

This paper explores the micro-level process of adjustment undergone by rural migrants to the city... more This paper explores the micro-level process of adjustment undergone by rural migrants to the city. Rural migrants are expected to fully adjust to the urban lifestyle, setting aside their traditions and culture. However, as the migrant population increases in an urban area, migrants create their own communities with their own lifestyles and values, and thus there is an ongoing debate about whether this process entails the ruralisation of the city or the urbanisation of migrants. While becoming urban and being part of the city is desired, the reality is that joining a migrant community and adjusting to other migrants is more important. According to the resource-based model, migrants need personal, material, social and cultural resources to satisfy their needs, goals and demands. Socio-cultural clustering constitutes the main social resource, creating a support system for migrants. The longer the rural migrants reside in the city, the better their adjustment strategies. Moreover, economic security and willingness assist the adjustment process, while the younger generation is perceived as being better adjusted.

Research paper thumbnail of Migration in the Albania of the post-1990s: triggered by post-communist transformations and facilitator of socio-demographic changes

South East Europe Review for Labour and …, Jan 1, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Negotiating between patriarchy and emancipation: rural-to-urban migrant women in Albania

It is essential to explore the role of gender while analysing internal migration in Albania to ac... more It is essential to explore the role of gender while analysing internal migration in Albania to account for the differing experiences of men and women. Quantitative studies suggest that Albanian internal migration is pioneered by men, with women merely acceding to their wishes. This article addresses the undervalued role of women in the academic discourse concerning migration in Albania. Utilizing ethnographic research techniques, it explores the role of women migrating from rural to urban areas as part of a larger household and examines the coping and negotiating strategies used for survival in the city. Our findings reveal that women actively participate in the rural-to-urban migration process, including the initial decision to migrate and the choice of destination. Women's narratives provide evidence of specific emancipation strategies through which they express themselves and their new ways of living. Women adjust to and challenge their new urban environment through gaining paid employment and expanding their social networks, as well as experience emancipation through daughters and by changing their appearance, achieving varying degrees of personal and social prosperity.

Research paper thumbnail of Coping with Urbanity

Regional Insights, Jan 1, 2010

Where migration is a mass phenomenon, it seems sensible to turn to the statistics to give you the... more Where migration is a mass phenomenon, it seems sensible to turn to the statistics to give you the facts and figures of the situation. Erka Caro argues that to understand, shape and direct the contribution of migrants to Albania’s urbanisation, it is better to go beyond the facts and figures to get to the feelings of the migrants.

Research paper thumbnail of  Winners or Losers? The Adjustment Strategies of Rural-to-Urban Migrants in Tirana, Albania

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring Links between Internal and International Migration in Albania: a View from Internal Migrants

Over the last 20 years, Albania has experienced sweeping economic and social changes, caused in p... more Over the last 20 years, Albania has experienced sweeping economic and social changes, caused in part by increasing internal and international migration flows. Migration trajectories of Albanians represent a combination of internal, international, and return migration. Whereas scholars have previously focused mainly on international migration, the current research explores the dynamics between internal and international migration. Typically, the internal migration of a family is supported, psychologically and financially, by the international migration of other household members. This paper reports on the influence that social and economic remittances have on the livelihoods of internal migrants. Using an ethnographic approach, financial and social remittances were shown to improve internal migrants' quality of life, assisting their adjustment process. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Research paper thumbnail of Intra-EU Mobility: The Employment and Welfare Experience of Temporary EU Workers in the United Kingdom

Two Homelands, 2021

This article explores the mobility pathways of temporary EU workers and the implications that tra... more This article explores the mobility pathways of temporary EU workers and the implications that transnational temporary mobility has on their labor market outcomes and access to social rights and benefits. The experiences of temporary EU migrants working in the UK show that despite the narrative of the borderlessness of the common European labor market, access to host countries’ labor market and welfare is shaped by their employment status and welfare eligibility criteria that produce worker precariousness. Temporary EU workers’ experiences are characterized by employment insecurity and unequal access to labor and social rights, effects which might increase since the UK has left the EU.

Research paper thumbnail of Empowerment or a double burden? Work, family, and agency among Albanian migrant women in Greece

Gender, Place & Culture

Traditional gender roles are redefined during the migration process as some women gain more econo... more Traditional gender roles are redefined during the migration process as some women gain more economic independence and can challenge the power hierarchies within the domestic sphere. Drawing on 36 biographical interviews with Albanian migrants in Greece, the analysis highlights the importance of gender, work, and agency in the migration process. By taking on the main breadwinner role, in response to high levels of male unemployment, Albanian women in Greece have challenged the traditional gender roles and division of labour within the domestic domain. Thus, women's empowerment has come at the cost of having to bear the double burden of working both within and outside of the household. The notion of 'reflexive agency' provides us with an in-depth understanding of the complex ways Albanian women are negotiating change, and of the power dynamics that have emerged as a result of shifts in gender role configurations.

Research paper thumbnail of ‘I am the God of the House’: How Albanian Rural Men Shift their Performance of Masculinities in the City

Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies

Abstract Migration triggers significant developments in gender norms and identities. Cultural and... more Abstract Migration triggers significant developments in gender norms and identities. Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and shifts the performances of masculinity and/or femininity. Scholars have mainly focused on its impact on women, overlooking its importance in shaping men’s identity. This paper focuses on rural migrant men moving to the city. It explores the strategies they use to renegotiate traditional performances of masculinities in the context of their spatial dislocation and wider socioeconomic developments and urbanization in a suburb of Tirana, Albania. Using an ethnographic and auto-ethnographic narrative approach, this paper reveals that traditional performances of masculinities confronted with modernization are shifting and being reshaped in the new urban environment where generational differences and the emancipation of women are now apparent.

Research paper thumbnail of Becoming an EU citizen through Italy: the experience of Albanian immigrants

MONDI MIGRANTI, 2017

L’articolo esplora l’esperienza dell’acquisizione della cittadinanza italiana e, per estensione, ... more L’articolo esplora l’esperienza dell’acquisizione della cittadinanza italiana e, per estensione, della cittadinanza europea tra i migranti albanesi in Italia. In particolare, il contributo indaga le motivazioni che hanno spinto i migranti albanesi a richiedere la cittadinanza e le ripercussioni di tale scelta sul loro status, sull’accesso ai diritti sociali e al mercato del lavoro, nonche sulla loro identita. Inoltre, l’analisi si focalizza sugli effetti dell’ acquisizione della cittadinanza EU nelle vite, traiettorie lavorative e prospettive nella mobilita dei migranti. I dati empirici indicano che i migranti albanesi che hanno acquisito la cittadinanza italiana hanno vissuto un’esperienza di empowerment e di agency, che ha reso la loro presenza nel mercato del lavoro e nella societa italiana piu sicura. La consapevolezza tra i migranti albanesi dell’acquisizione della cittadinanza europea come derivato della cittadinanza italiana e aumentata durante il processo di naturalizzazione, principalmente per effetto dell’impatto della crisi economica sul mercato del lavoro italiano e della loro posizione di lavoratori. La cittadinanza italiana, diviene quindi una strategia per una maggiore integrazione e, in caso di necessita, per un’ulteriore migrazione.

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring Migration Experiences and Gender Dynamics through Biographical Interviews

Romanian Journal of Population Studies

This paper explores the challenges and advantages in conducting biographical research based on li... more This paper explores the challenges and advantages in conducting biographical research based on life narratives of 140 Albanian migrants in three host societies, Greece, Switzerland and Germany. This methodological paper is written in the context of the research project investigating the experience of industrial citizenship (IC) of labour migrants coming from the Western Balkans (WB) to the European Union (EU). We reinforce our biographical accounts with semi-structured interviews, visual methods, participant observations, field notes and expert interviews which will provide context to the biographical interview texts. This paper shed light into challenges emerging in the framework of ethnography research field work, addressing the ethnographic issue trust building, hierarchic position, gender, ethical dilemmas, resistance and technical issues as well. Moreover we discuss how self-reflexivity take place during the field work and challenges the professional and personal identity of researchers.

Research paper thumbnail of Returning and Re-Emigrating Gendered Trajectories of (Re)Integration from Greece.....    pg.171

Abstract The aim of this research paper is three fold: (1) to shed some light on the struggles Al... more Abstract
The aim of this research paper is three fold: (1) to shed some light on the struggles Albanian return migrants are facing in their psycho-social, cultural and labor market reintegration in the origin country, looking as well to the gendered trajectories of return and re-emigration(2) to highlight their gendered strategies in transferring back in their home country their financial, social and human capital;(3) to better understand the dynamic paths of their migration trajectories and finally (4) to push policy makers to put with high priority the returnees reintegration plan into the policy agenda. We base our analyze on 42 life stories of Albanian migrants, from which, 12 interviews with return migrants from Greece, 30 migrants that are actually in Greece (from which 50% have at least made an 1 attempt to return in Albania and 5 are circular migrants).The study found that: many Albanian migrants return to Albania to stay either temporary or permanently with the idea of investing in home country, though not all of them who return stay in Albania. Returnees and at a greater degree women, face lot struggles and difficulties in their psycho-social, cultural and economic reintegration upon their return, which make them mentally and psychologically vulnerable. Women experienced a sense of disempowerment, reconfiguration and re-traditionalisation of gender relationships upon their return. Labor market integration seem more problematic especially for returned women who faced a gendered gap in labor force participation1. Moreover, despite migrant willingness to invest their financial and social remittances in Albania by bringing new ideas in the labor market trend, they experience a sense of disillusion. Therefore, having no support system back home, remaining jobless and in many cases failing in their investment endeavors, make returnees consider further re-emigration as a surviving strategy. This study suggest that it is time for policy makers to compile with high priority and with a gender lens analysis a new National Migration Strategy and Return Reintegration strategy, while developing concrete and coherent measures upon returnees successful reintegration in the home country. This policy research brings at the policy agenda an holistic and multidisciplinary approach to returnee reintegration through better multi- level/stakeholder collaboration and dialogue.
Key words: return migrants, reintegration policies, gender, human, social and economic capital

Research paper thumbnail of 'I am the God of the house' Rural migrant men shifting their performance of masculinities in the city

Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and ... more Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and shifts the performances of masculinity and/or femininity. Migration triggers significant developments in gender norms and identities. Scholars have mainly focused on its impact on women, overlooking its importance in shaping men's identity. This paper focuses on male migrants, aiming for a better understanding of the interaction between gender and migration.

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of Blood Feuds on Women and Girls in Albania: How they can contribute to addressing the problem?

Research paper thumbnail of Migration and Human Resource Managment

International Human Resource Managment: An Employment Relation Perspective, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of From the Village to the City: The Adjustment Process of Internal Migrants in Albania

Abstract EN This thesis examines the adjustment process of Albanian rural migrants moving to the ... more Abstract EN This thesis examines the adjustment process of Albanian rural migrants moving to the cities, within the context of the capital city, Tirana. The study is based on an ethnographic approach and on qualitative material collected during 2008-2009. To gain ...

Research paper thumbnail of 'I am the God of the house' Rural migrant men shifting their performance of masculinities in the city

Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and ... more Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and shifts the performances of masculinity and/or femininity. Migration triggers significant developments in gender norms and identities. Scholars have mainly focused on its impact on women, overlooking its importance in shaping men's identity. This paper focuses on male migrants, aiming for a better understanding of the interaction between gender and migration. We explore the strategies used by rural migrant men in the city to renegotiate traditional masculinities in the context of their spatial dislocation and wider socioeconomic developments and urbanization in a suburb of Tirana, Albania. The analyses draw on qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews, participant observations and field notes. Using an ethnographic and auto-ethnographic narrative approach, this paper reveals that masculinities confronted with modernization are shifting and being reshaped in the new urban environment where generational differences and the emancipation of women are now apparent. The paper also draws attention to the places where shifting masculinities are performed, arguing that gender identities are in continuous flux in space and time.

Research paper thumbnail of Xhaho, A. and Caro, E.(2016). Gendered Work-Family Balance in Migration:  Albanian Migrants in Greece. In Ducu, V. & Telegdi -Csetri, A. (eds.) Managing Difference in East-European Transnational Families. Germany:  Peter Lang Publishing.

This paper explores how Albanian migrant working parents in Greece, experience the pressure to ba... more This paper explores how Albanian migrant working parents in Greece, experience the pressure to balance their family life and work demands. Relying on 42 migrant ethnographies, we look particularly at the gendered negotiation of work and family conflicts, and how particularly our transnational mothers expand the concept of "hegemonic mothering". This research suggests how demanding and stressful was for migrant working parents in the host country in trying to balance their work and family life at the same time. Moreover, such findings add weight to a considerable body of previous research on 'time-based conflict'-with migrants parents investing more time working, while leaving behind parental roles. Our study found that parental childcare obligation reflected on migrant's socially embedded gender roles and traditional division of labor within the household. It was shown that a "good mother" was supposed to fit to maternal roles of "hegemonic mothering" and provide daily emotional and physical care for their children (though the reality of our transnational working mothers in Greece did not fit in this model), and the "good father" was supposed to be the breadwinner model, who at the extend of family incomes might endure physical and temporal separation from his children. The study found that working mothers were more likely that working fathers to experience pressure1 to perform their dual role as dutiful mother and prosperous worker. Moreover, migrant mothers experience the work-family conflicts to a greater extent than their male counterparts and they felt much guiltier for not fulfilling what they perceived to be the " social expectation of motherhood ". The study found that in the situation where Albanian men were left jobless, in time of the Greek economic crises, Albanian migrant mothers managed the situation by becoming simultaneously the primary providers and care givers. At the same time they become more vulnerable due to double exploitation-inside and outside home. Reconciliation of work and family demands are hardly done especially from migrant mothers employed in domestic sector, who are often obligated to work in precarious work arrangements, long working hours and unpredictable demands and shifts, making them facing a triple disadvantaged status, as migrants as women and as mothers.

Research paper thumbnail of New Migration Challenges in the Western Balkans

The economic crisis and armed conflicts in Africa and Asia have triggered new migration trends an... more The economic crisis and armed conflicts in Africa and Asia have triggered new migration trends and challenges for neighbouring, transit and destination countries. The most important pathways have been those of non-EU migration such as asylum, irregular, and temporary. Most of the media, political and academic attention are focused on what is happening
in the EU countries with regards to migration while the facts and figures show that the recent migration and refugee flows are located in and transitioning through developing countries which carry the burden of
providing for a high number of asylum seekers. While EU countries have a long history of immigration and a developed legislation and infrastructure, other countries through which the majority of migrants transit, or even settle in lack such elements.

Research paper thumbnail of Posted Migration and Segregation in the European Construction Sector

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

Worker ’posting’, or temporary migration of blue-collar workers sent by their employers to work ... more Worker ’posting’, or temporary migration of blue-collar workers sent by their employers to work on projects abroad has become increasingly prominent in the European Union construction industry. It is now normal to find groups of workers from all around Europe on construction sites, living in nearby temporary accommodations, moving on to other projects, or back home when the project is complete. This article highlights the interaction between the social isolation and transnational mobility of these workers, and labour market segmentation in the EU construction labour market. We argue that the nature of the posted workers’ social world in their living environments contributes to their isolation from host societies, and reinforces a nationally based labour market segmentation of the European construction labour market. This is because posted workers, due to their mobility, cannot build the same structural resources in host societies and workplaces as more permanent migrants do.

KEYWORDS: labour migration, posted workers, temporary migration, transnational work, labour market segmentation, place making

Research paper thumbnail of Winners or Losers? The adjustment strategies of rural-to-urban migrants in Tirana, Albania

This paper explores the micro-level process of adjustment undergone by rural migrants to the city... more This paper explores the micro-level process of adjustment undergone by rural migrants to the city. Rural migrants are expected to fully adjust to the urban lifestyle, setting aside their traditions and culture. However, as the migrant population increases in an urban area, migrants create their own communities with their own lifestyles and values, and thus there is an ongoing debate about whether this process entails the ruralisation of the city or the urbanisation of migrants. While becoming urban and being part of the city is desired, the reality is that joining a migrant community and adjusting to other migrants is more important. According to the resource-based model, migrants need personal, material, social and cultural resources to satisfy their needs, goals and demands. Socio-cultural clustering constitutes the main social resource, creating a support system for migrants. The longer the rural migrants reside in the city, the better their adjustment strategies. Moreover, economic security and willingness assist the adjustment process, while the younger generation is perceived as being better adjusted.

Research paper thumbnail of Migration in the Albania of the post-1990s: triggered by post-communist transformations and facilitator of socio-demographic changes

South East Europe Review for Labour and …, Jan 1, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Negotiating between patriarchy and emancipation: rural-to-urban migrant women in Albania

It is essential to explore the role of gender while analysing internal migration in Albania to ac... more It is essential to explore the role of gender while analysing internal migration in Albania to account for the differing experiences of men and women. Quantitative studies suggest that Albanian internal migration is pioneered by men, with women merely acceding to their wishes. This article addresses the undervalued role of women in the academic discourse concerning migration in Albania. Utilizing ethnographic research techniques, it explores the role of women migrating from rural to urban areas as part of a larger household and examines the coping and negotiating strategies used for survival in the city. Our findings reveal that women actively participate in the rural-to-urban migration process, including the initial decision to migrate and the choice of destination. Women's narratives provide evidence of specific emancipation strategies through which they express themselves and their new ways of living. Women adjust to and challenge their new urban environment through gaining paid employment and expanding their social networks, as well as experience emancipation through daughters and by changing their appearance, achieving varying degrees of personal and social prosperity.

Research paper thumbnail of Coping with Urbanity

Regional Insights, Jan 1, 2010

Where migration is a mass phenomenon, it seems sensible to turn to the statistics to give you the... more Where migration is a mass phenomenon, it seems sensible to turn to the statistics to give you the facts and figures of the situation. Erka Caro argues that to understand, shape and direct the contribution of migrants to Albania’s urbanisation, it is better to go beyond the facts and figures to get to the feelings of the migrants.

Research paper thumbnail of  Winners or Losers? The Adjustment Strategies of Rural-to-Urban Migrants in Tirana, Albania

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring Links between Internal and International Migration in Albania: a View from Internal Migrants

Over the last 20 years, Albania has experienced sweeping economic and social changes, caused in p... more Over the last 20 years, Albania has experienced sweeping economic and social changes, caused in part by increasing internal and international migration flows. Migration trajectories of Albanians represent a combination of internal, international, and return migration. Whereas scholars have previously focused mainly on international migration, the current research explores the dynamics between internal and international migration. Typically, the internal migration of a family is supported, psychologically and financially, by the international migration of other household members. This paper reports on the influence that social and economic remittances have on the livelihoods of internal migrants. Using an ethnographic approach, financial and social remittances were shown to improve internal migrants' quality of life, assisting their adjustment process. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Research paper thumbnail of Posted Migration and Isolation in the European Construction Sector

Worker ‘posting’, or temporary migration of blue-collar workers sent by their employers to work o... more Worker ‘posting’, or temporary migration of blue-collar workers sent by their employers to work on projects abroad has become increasingly prominent in the European construction industry. It is now normal to find groups of workers from all around Europe on construction sites, living in nearby temporary accommodations, moving on to other projects, or back home when the project is complete. This article highlights the interaction between the social and physical isolation and transnational mobility of these workers in the EU construction labour market. We argue that the work-focused and employer-dominated nature of the posted workers’ social world abroad contributes to their isolation from host societies, and reinforces a nationally based labour market segmentation of the European construction labour market. This is because posted workers, due to their mobility, do not have the same opportunity or interest to build structural resources in host societies and workplaces as more permanent migrants.

KEYWORDS: labour migration, posted workers, temporary migration, isolation, labour market segmentation

Research paper thumbnail of Organizimi Sindikal  ne Shqiperi/ Trade Unions in Albania

This study aims to provide a general overview and historical context of Trade Unions in Albania a... more This study aims to provide a general overview and historical context of Trade Unions in Albania along with their challenges, opportunities and evolving strategies during 25 years of transition from state controlled economy to a market economy.

Most of 83 trade unions established and working in Albania operate under the umbrella of the two confederations, the Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania (CTUA) and the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania (UITUA), which both represent about 90% of the members of trade unions in Albania, whereas the rest operate independently. National Labour Council (NLC) is the highest cooperation system of tripartite social dialogue in Albania, represented by members from trade unions, employer organizations and state institutions. Although trade unions in Albania are represented in the National Labour Council with 10 members, they still struggle for legitimacy, enforcement of many collective bargaining agreements and resolution of conflicts through mediation and social dialogue. Unions are constantly involved in a battle for institutional representation, struggles to raise the level of unionization, inter- cooperation and representation of labor work force.

Taking in consideration the unique nature of economic, political and social transformation that took place in Albania after the downfall of communism regime, this paper represent the first study to trace and analyze the core services and benefits of trade union movements in Albania. We present a general background and context of their organization, their internal structures and organization, their external/international collaborators, their financing mechanisms and the hardships that the unions face in providing these services and benefits.

The paper examines as well the challenges in both trade union membership and density by looking at the strategies undertaken by trade unions to recruit new members, especially in areas other than the traditional core union ranks considering women and youth activation, as well as their mobilization in improving wage levels and working conditions. Given that trade unions in Albania are almost fragmented and weekly represented especially in the private sector, this study is an attempt to reveal patterns of their organizations, to outline current trends, and to draw possible conclusions and recommendations for assisting trade union in identifying strategic ways of orientation and improvements in protecting workers’ rights.

Research paper thumbnail of 'I am the God of the house' Rural migrant men shifting their performance of masculinities in the city

Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and ... more Cultural and spatial dislocation influences the ways people renegotiate their gender schemas and shifts the performances of masculinity and/or femininity. Migration triggers significant developments in gender norms and identities. Scholars have mainly focused on its impact on women, overlooking its importance in shaping men's identity. This paper focuses on male migrants, aiming for a better understanding of the interaction between gender and migration. We explore the strategies used by rural migrant men in the city to renegotiate traditional masculinities in the context of their spatial dislocation and wider socioeconomic developments and urbanization in a suburb of Tirana, Albania. The analyses draw on qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews, participant observations and field notes. Using an ethnographic and auto-ethnographic narrative approach, this paper reveals that masculinities confronted with modernization are shifting and being reshaped in the new urban environment where generational differences and the emancipation of women are now apparent. The paper also draws attention to the places where shifting masculinities are performed, arguing that gender identities are in continuous flux in space and time.