IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/cog/socinc/v9y2021i4p278-290.html

Structural Embeddedness in Transnational Social Fields: Personal Networks, International (Im)Mobilities, and the Migratory Capital Paradox

Author

Listed:
  • Renáta Hosnedlová

    (LEREPS, University of Toulouse, Sciences Po Toulouse, France)

  • Ignacio Fradejas‐García

    (School of Social Sciences, University of Iceland, Iceland)

  • Miranda J. Lubbers

    (Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain)

  • José Luis Molina

    (Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

In this article we focus on individuals’ structural embeddedness in transnational social fields (TSFs) and examine how this is related to patterns of international mobility. The main argument is that the structure of TSFs matters for (im)mobility trajectories, and thus all actors (migrants, non‐migrants, and returnees) need to be examined as a whole to obtain a deeper understanding of the role of social networks in processes of transnational mobility. Taking the case of Romanian migrants in Spain as a TSF connecting their place of origin (Dâmbovița in Romania) with their destination (Castelló in Spain), we analyze survey data for 303 migrants, non‐migrants, and returnees, sampled through an RDS‐like binational link‐tracing design. We then categorize types of personal network using an international mobility scale to assess the degree of structural embeddedness in the TSF. An important contribution is the rigorous operationalization of TSF and assessment of the level of migratory capital of each individual. Our results reveal that migratory capital is not always linked positively with high mobility patterns and that its role is strongly related to the overall composition and structure of the TSF.

Suggested Citation

  • Renáta Hosnedlová & Ignacio Fradejas‐García & Miranda J. Lubbers & José Luis Molina, 2021. "Structural Embeddedness in Transnational Social Fields: Personal Networks, International (Im)Mobilities, and the Migratory Capital Paradox," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(4), pages 278-290.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:socinc:v9:y:2021:i:4:p:278-290
    DOI: 10.17645/si.v9i4.4568
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/socialinclusion/article/view/4568
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.17645/si.v9i4.4568?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Filiz Garip, 2008. "Social capital and migration: How do similar resources lead to divergent outcomes?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 45(3), pages 591-617, August.
    2. Thomas Lacroix, 2014. "Conceptualizing Transnational Engagements: A Structure and Agency Perspective on (Hometown) Transnationalism," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(3), pages 643-679, September.
    3. repec:sae:mrxval:v:48:y:2014:i:3:p:643-679 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Andreas Herz & Laura Díaz-Chorne & Celia Díaz-Catalán & Alice Altissimo & Sahizer Samuk Carignani, 2019. "Are you mobile, too? The role played by social networks in the intention to move abroad among youth in Europe," Migration Letters, Migration Letters, vol. 16(1), pages 93-104, January.
    5. José Luis Molina & Luis Martínez-Cháfer & Francesc Xavier Molina-Morales & Miranda J. Lubbers, 2018. "Industrial districts and migrant enclaves: a model of interaction," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(6), pages 1160-1180, June.
    6. repec:sae:mrxval:v:38:y:2004:i:3:p:1002-1039 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Miranda J. Lubbers, 2021. "In Good Company? Personal Relationships, Network Embeddedness, and Social Inclusion," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(4), pages 203-210.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Renáta Hosnedlová & Ignacio Fradejas‐García & Miranda J. Lubbers & José Luis Molina, 2021. "Structural Embeddedness in Transnational Social Fields: Personal Networks, International (Im)Mobilities, and the Migratory Capital Paradox," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(4), pages 278-290.
    2. Ben Klemens, 2022. "An analysis of US domestic migration via subset-stable measures of administrative data," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 351-382, May.
    3. Theodore Gerber & Karine Torosyan, 2013. "Remittances in the Republic of Georgia: Correlates, Economic Impact, and Social Capital Formation," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(4), pages 1279-1301, August.
    4. Michelle Byng, 2017. "Transnationalism among Second-Generation Muslim Americans: Being and Belonging in Their Transnational Social Field," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-19, October.
    5. Rochelle Côté & Jessica Jensen & Louise Roth & Sandra Way, 2015. "The Effects of Gendered Social Capital on U.S. Migration: A Comparison of Four Latin American Countries," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(3), pages 989-1015, June.
    6. Marie Albertine Djuikom, 2018. "Incentives to labour migration and agricultural productivity: The Bayesian perspective," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2018-45, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Justyna Łukaszewska-Bezulska, 2021. "The Role of Social Capital in Labour-Related Migrations: the Polish Example," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 949-966, September.
    8. Aleksandr Grigoryan & Knar Khachatryan, 2018. "Remittances and Emigration Intentions: Evidence from Armenia," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp626, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    9. Linda Zhao & Filiz Garip, 2021. "Network Diffusion Under Homophily and Consolidation as a Mechanism for Social Inequality," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 50(3), pages 1150-1185, August.
    10. Anindita Namhata & Anugraha Kalikote & Sudipta Paul & Zakir Husain, 2025. "Online Network Formation Among Students During COVID-19: Analysing Path Dependency in a Natural Experimental Setting," Studies in Microeconomics, , vol. 13(1), pages 36-56, April.
    11. Makhlouf, Farid & Otmany, Hammou El, 2025. "Dream killer: Motivations behind illegal migration," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(3).
    12. Cristina Lacomba, 2021. "Bridging city environments: A contextual approach to the mobilisation of immigrant groups," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(9), pages 1940-1956, July.
    13. Steve Kwok-Leung Chan, 2022. "Transnational Brokers and the Desire for Labour Migration: Decision-making Process of Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thailand," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1987-2007, December.
    14. Chuanmin Zhao & Xi Qu, 2022. "Social networks and internal migration in China: A spatial autoregressive model," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 1132-1163, May.
    15. Rickard Sandell, 2008. "Immigration and cumulative causation: Explaining the ethnic and spatial diffusion of Spain\'s immigrant population 1997-2007," Working Papers 2008-12, Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados (IMDEA) Ciencias Sociales.
    16. Oliver Bakewell & Hein de Haas & Agnieszka Kubal, 2011. "Migration systems, pioneers and the role of agency," Norface Discussion Paper Series 2011023, Norface Research Programme on Migration, Department of Economics, University College London.
    17. Emil Israel & Nir Cohen & Daniel Czamanski, 2019. "Return on capital? Determinants of counter-migration among early career Israeli STEM researchers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, August.
    18. Heather Randell & Leah VanWey, 2014. "Networks Versus Need: Drivers of Urban Out-Migration in the Brazilian Amazon," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 33(6), pages 915-936, December.
    19. Agnieszka Kubal & Rianne Dekker, 2011. "Contextualizing immigrant inter-wave dynamics and the consequences for migration processes," Norface Discussion Paper Series 2011024, Norface Research Programme on Migration, Department of Economics, University College London.
    20. Tuba Ardic, 2023. "Imagined Embedding(s): Young People’s Reasons for Moving to Norway," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:cog:socinc:v9:y:2021:i:4:p:278-290. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: António Vieira or IT Department (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.cogitatiopress.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.