Migration and Diversity

Is Return Migration a Solution? A Social Psychological Review of Reintegration, Belonging, and Psychological Well-Being

Betül Dilara Şeker — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Return migration extends beyond physical relocation to the country of origin and requires the reconstruction of identity, belonging, social acceptance, and psychological well-being. This theoretical narrative review integrates research on voluntary and forced return through perceived decision-making power, social identity, liminality, reacculturation, reverse culture shock, and social capital. The literature indicates that voluntariness is best understood as a continuum shaped by pressure, viable alternatives, and participation in decision-making. Physical return does not automatically restore belonging or psychological adjustment; outcomes depend on preparedness, safety, livelihoods, social acceptance, support networks, and access to institutions. Distinct challenges faced by later-generation returnees, forcibly displaced people, children, and older adults further demonstrate the limits of standardised return policies. Sustainable reintegration therefore requires informed participation, long-term psychosocial support, access to essential services, and inclusive social relations rather than the administrative completion of return alone.

The Migration of New Christians and Jews from the Iberian Peninsula to the Ottoman Empire during the late 15th and 16th centuries

Hacer Bahar — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article examines the origins of the three waves of migration to the Ottoman Empire from the Iberian Peninsula in the late 15th and 16th centuries, focusing on Jews and New Christians. It questions the impact of the Spanish Inquisition and the issuance of expulsion edicts in Spain in 1492 and in Portugal in 1497, as well as the establishment of the Portuguese Inquisition in 1536. It investigates how the Inquisition’s practices and the expulsion of non-Christians, influenced by monarchical interests, contributed to these exoduses. The edicts of expulsion of the Jews and the continuing persecution of New Christians led to exoduses from the Iberian Peninsula to countries that offered religious liberty, including the Ottoman Empire. The article finally contends that Iberian Jews, known as Sephardim, and New Christians who later reverted to Judaism brought their social and economic capital to the Ottoman Empire, thereby increasing the Empire’s assets and developing ties to the Ottoman Court.

Return Experiences of Amhara Internally Displaced Persons in Ethiopia

Bekele Tafere Alemu — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The displacement of ethnic Amharas in Oromia is linked with false historical narratives, ethnic federalism, and proliferation of non-state armed groups in the region. The situation intensified after 2018 when global attention focused on the reforms of the new prime minister and his Nobel Peace Prize. This article examines the experiences of Amhara Internally displaced persons (IDPs) who rejected and accepted the state-led return program implemented between February and May 2024. Data were collected from China Camp IDPs through interviews and focus group discussions in August 2024. Findings reveal that the return process was implemented under coercive conditions. Upon return, IDPs faced insecurity, lack of follow-up and support, and significant gap between expectations and reality. These conditions exposed many returnees either re-displacement to previous shelters or to other peaceful regions. The study recommends return programs be implemented in accordance with the UN guiding principles on IDPs and relevant legal frameworks.

Migration, Habitus and the Struggle for Masculinity

Gottfried Schweiger — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper explores the masculinity of migrants* and how the experience of migration transforms, challenges, and renegotiates it, ultimately shaping how it is practiced and lived. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu's concept of habitus and masculine domination, as well as R.W. Connell's theory of hegemonic masculinity, the paper brings together two key theoretical frameworks for understanding masculinity and the relationships between men* and women*, as well as among men* themselves. By combining these perspectives, the aim is to better grasp the processes through which migrant masculinities are produced, reproduced, and potentially transformed. The research on male migrants* is thus revisited and reinterpreted through a masculinity studies lens informed by Bourdieu's and Connell's work, highlighting how gendered power relations are both maintained and reconfigured in the context of migration.

Soft Shell, Hard Core: Peach Culture and The Paradox of Immigrant Integration in Italy

Ceyda Durmus — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

To the international observer, Italy is the archetype of a Peach Culture, as a society characterized by a soft, approachable exterior where interpersonal warmth and informality facilitate initial social contact. This reputation for La Dolce Vita and warmth is often cited as a primary pull factor for newcomers. However, this commentary argues that this very cultural flexibility functions as a structural trap for economic migrants. By applying the "Peach Culture" metaphor to the socio-economic reality of the Italian state, the researcher contends that the "soft shell" of Italian society as its reliance on informal networks and particularism lures migrants into the shadow economy, where they become what Maurizio Ambrosini terms useful invaders. In this context, the "hard core" of the peach represents a rigid, familistic welfare system that provides almost no support to those outside traditional kinship networks. Thus, the same cultural traits that make Italy attractive to tourists and expatriates serve to permanently exclude migrants from full citizenship, trapping them in a cycle of informal labor and social precarity. This piece challenges policymakers to recognize that cultural warmth is not a substitute for structural integration and that without a formalized safety net, the Italian peach remains impenetrable to those who need it most.

Exploring the Nexus between Aspirations and Immobility Using Schewel’s Aspiration-Capability Framework: A Case Study on Northern Bangladesh

Humayun Kabir, Taha Husain — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigates the individual, socio-economic, and gender-specific factors contributing to immobility in Rangpur, Bangladesh. Using qualitative research methods, including 32 semi-structured interviews, the study applies Schewel’s Aspiration-Capability Framework to analyze the dynamics of mobility and immobility. The findings reveal that immobility in Rangpur is primarily motivated by socio-economic constraints, such as limited financial resources and employment opportunities, as well as deeply rooted gender norms that unreasonably restrict women's mobility. While many aspire to migrate for better opportunities, they often lack the necessary capabilities or resources, leading to involuntary immobility. Additionally, the study identifies voluntary immobility, in which individuals choose to remain due to strong community ties, cultural preservation, and personal contentment, and acquiescent immobility, characterized by a lack of aspiration and the capability to migrate. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of immobility in socio-economically disadvantaged regions and offers valuable implications for migration-related policies and interventions.

Acute Crisis Fuelling Chronic Insecurity: Migration Dynamics in the Context of the US–Israel v. Iran Conflict (2023–2026)

B. Dilara Şeker, Ü. Sezgi Sözen, Güven Şeker, Ibrahim Sirkeci — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The study examines how long-standing structural human insecurity in Iran is likely to evolve into a large-scale migration crisis following the sanctions and recent U.S. military intervention in 2026. Rather than interpreting migration solely as an immediate reaction to war, the study conceptualizes it as a rational risk-management process in which accumulated structural deficits—democratic, demographic, and developmental (3D)—interact with individual migration capacities (4C: financial, social, human, and physical capitals). The military intervention did not create migration from scratch; rather, it acted as a catalyst that intensified pre-existing insecurity and pushed it toward a life-threatening threshold, thereby activating latent displacement dynamics. At the regional level, established Iranian diaspora networks in neighbouring countries, particularly Türkiye, generate a “magnet effect” that lowers migration costs and facilitates cross-border mobility. In contrast, individuals with limited physical capacity often experience “forced immobility,” becoming trapped within the country despite high migration motivations. At the global level, highly skilled individuals tend to transform the crisis into an opportunity for status restoration by pursuing migration to Western destinations. Overall, we argue that Iran-driven displacement is not a purely spontaneous humanitarian response but a structured process shaped by the interaction of structural vulnerabilities and individual capacities. As such, it constitutes a broader stress test for regional governance systems and the global migration regime.

Emotions as Elements of Manipulative Messaging in Online Anti-Migrant Networks: Evidence from Telegram

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study explores how negative emotions are deliberately triggered and employed as instruments of manipulation within online anti-migrant discourse. Based on the analysis of 3,194,663 Telegram messages collected from multiple countries, it examines which emotional manipulation emerges in the discursive and structural patterns. Combining manual annotation for maliciousness, emotional manipulation, and vulnerability with a multi-label transformer-based emotion classification, the research identifies how particular emotional configurations are mobilized. Rather than measuring the social impact of these messages or the intentions of their authors, the study focuses on uncovering the presence, structure, and possible functions of these emotional strategies. By situating these findings within Telegram’s affordances-low moderation, anonymity, and ideological insulation-it reveals how the platform nurtures emotionally polarized echo chambers. The study thus offers a conceptual foundation for future research seeking to connect emotional mechanisms with broader social and political effects.