Like “falling leaves”: The migration of the highly-skilled from Turkey to Italy

autore/author: Sahizer Samuk Carignani, Matilde Rosina, Gül Ince-Beqo

pubblicato/published: 27/02/2023

 

Citazione consigliata/Suggested citation: S. Samuk Carignani, M. Rosina, G. Ince-Beqo, Like “falling leaves”: The migration of the highly-skilled from Turkey to Italy  lceonline (www.lceonline.eu), 1/2023, II, p. 1 ss.

 

area disciplinare/disciplinary area:  politica comparata e relazioni internazionali/comparative politics and international relations

parole chiave: migrazione altamente qualificata; fuga dei cervelli, circolazione dei cervelli, integrazione, migrazione successiva, Turchia, Italia

key words: high-skilled migration, brain drain, brain circulation, integration. onward migration, Turkey, Italy

 

Summary: 1. Introduction  2. Theoretical considerations: High-skilled migration and globalisation 2.1 Brain Drain or Brain Gain? 2.2 The drivers of high-skilled migration 2.3 High-skilled migration from Turkey 2.4 Turkish migration to Italy: 1990-2020  3. Methodology  4. Migration drivers, integration, and future plans 4.1 Theme 1 Migration drivers: Why migrating and why to Italy? 4.2 Theme 2: Italy: Cultural and social interactions in everyday life 4.2.1 Mobility Dissonance 4.2.2 Differentiated Embedding and Liquid Integration 4.3 Should I stay or should I go? Future intentions 4.3.1 Leaving Italy for Another Country 4.3.2 Leaving Italy to go back to Turkey 4.3.3 Wanting to stay in Italy  5. Conclusion  6. Annex

 

Abstract

In questo articolo analizziamo il flusso di migranti altamente qualificati dalla Turchia all’Italia, due Paesi caratterizzati dall’incapacità di trattenere manodopera qualificata. Da un punto di vista teorico, le teorie neoclassiche si aspettano che la migrazione sia una funzione degli squilibri spaziali (ad esempio, fattori di attrazione e di spinta con spiegazioni macro). Tuttavia, tale rappresentazione non è in grado di cogliere adeguatamente le complessità e i cambiamenti osservati nella migrazione dalla Turchia all’Italia nel corso del tempo. Indagando l’esperienza migratoria a livello macro (fattori strutturali), meso (reti, parentela) e micro (aspirazioni personali), il presente lavoro mira a far luce sul fenomeno poco esplorato della migrazione turca altamente qualificata in Italia. Esaminiamo 20 interviste con migranti altamente qualificati giunti in Italia negli ultimi dieci anni, per comprendere le loro traiettorie migratorie, l’integrazione sociale e culturale e i progetti futuri

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In this article we analyse the flow of high-skilled migrants from Turkey to Italy, as two countries characterized by their inability to retain skilled labour. From a theoretical viewpoint, neo-classical theories would expect the migration to be a function of spatial disequilibria (for instance, pull and push factors with macro explanations). Yet, such representation cannot adequately capture the complexities and changes observed with migration from Turkey to Italy over time. Investigating migration experience at the macro (structural drivers), meso (networks, family kinship), and micro level (personal aspirations), this paper thus aims to shed light on the under-explored phenomenon of highly skilled Turkish migration to Italy. We examine 20 interviews with highly skilled migrants who came to Italy within the last ten years, to understand their migration trajectories, social and cultural integration, and future plans.

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