Doctoral Dissertation Research: Cooperation in Uncertainty during Migration

博士论文研究：移民过程中的不确定中的合作这个项目调查移民从一个国家到另一个国家旅行的经历。先前的研究表明，移民的经历各不相同：一些移民描述了严酷和被忽视的经历，而另一些人则认为受到了保护和支持。但这些差异的原因是什么呢？这个项目将考察移民如何与那些在旅途中提供帮助的人协商关系。他们如何保护自己？当这些保障措施失效时，他们会遵守什么条件？当法律没有执行时，这些过程是如何自我组织的？社交网络如何促进移民？各国政府经常思考如何降低移民面临的风险。一些政府政策的背后可能还存在这样的假设，即如果风险很高，移民数量将会减少，但目前的研究表明，许多移民不顾风险坚持自己的尝试。查明哪些条件会增加移民受害的风险，将有助于政府制定政策，帮助选择移民的人安全通行。为了了解如何解释移民的不同经历，本项目将分析移民经历的情况以及安全受到支持或违反的时间。该项目将在许多移徙旅程开始的地方开展实地工作，并将依靠对可能的移徙者和回返者，即那些返回原籍国的移徙者进行半结构化的定性访谈。该项目将通过社交媒体应用程序与潜在移民保持联系，并在移民尝试后一个月内重新采访他们。采访的主题包括移民选择的路线，谁帮助了他们，他们在这些决定中对社交网络的依赖程度，最后，他们是经历了支持还是严厉或忽视。归国人员将提供他们遇到的各种风险的数据。该项目将在几个不同的地点分别采访50名潜在移民和50名回归者。在这一群体中，访谈将对多样性进行抽样，特别是农村和城市的多样性，但也包括社会经济、性别和种族多样性，以确保捕捉到各种不同的观点。该项目将使用滚雪球抽样战略，并通过与当地服务非政府组织的伙伴关系进入受移徙影响的社区。对移民旅行的分析不仅说明了人类如何创建促进合作的制度，而且还说明了文化、社会分裂和当地环境如何影响这些制度选择。该项目的发现将有助于有关移民、法律、社会网络和全球不平等的社会学理论。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Doctoral Dissertation Research: Cooperation in Uncertainty during MigrationThis project investigates the experiences of migrants as they journey from one country to another. Prior research indicates that the experience of migrants varies: some migrants describe experiences of harshness and neglect, while others perceive protection and support. But what account for these differences? This project will examine how migrants negotiate the relationships with those who assist in the journeys. How do they work to safeguard themselves, and what conditions do they observe when these safeguards fail? How do these process self-organize when laws are unenforced? And how do social networks facilitate migration? Governments frequently ponder how to lower the risks for migrants. Underlying some governmental policies may also be the assumption that if risks are high, migration will decrease, but current research indicates that many migrants persist in their attempts despite the risks. Identifying what conditions increase the risk of victimization for migrants will inform governmental policies to assist in safe passage for those who choose to migrate. In order to understand what explains differential experiences of migrants, this project will analyze what conditions the migrants experience and when safety is supported or violated. The project will conduct fieldwork in locales where many migration journeys begin and will rely on semi-structured, qualitative interviews of prospective migrants and returnees, i.e., those migrants who return to countries of origin. The project will stay in contact with prospective migrants through social media apps and re-interview them within a month of their migration attempt. Interview topics include the route migrants chose, who assisted them, the extent to which they relied on their social networks in these decisions, and, finally, whether they experienced support versus harshness or neglect. Returnees will provide data on the various risks they encountered. The project will interview 50 potential migrants and 50 returnees in each of several different locales. Within this group, the interviews will sample for diversity, especially rural versus urban origins, but also socioeconomic, gender and ethnic diversity in order to ensure capture a diverse range of perspectives. The project will use a snowball sampling strategy and gain access to migration-affected communities through partnerships with local service NGOs. The analysis of migrant journeys not only speaks to how humans create institutions to facilitate cooperation, but also how culture, social cleavages, and local context influence these institutional choices. Findings from the project will contribute to sociological theories regarding migration, the law, social networks and global inequality.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.