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Debates on return migration

Scholarly Approaches to Return Migration
Jean-Pierre Cassarino
While scholarly approaches related to return migration can be traced back to the 1960s, there is no question that, with hindsight, it was in the 1980s that
stimulating scientific debates among scholars took place upon the return phenomenon and its impact on origin countries. This debate culminated in the
production of several volumes and critical essays, and in the organization of conferences (Kubat 1984; Council of Europe 1987).
There is no question that such debates intensively contributed to the development of the literature on return migration, together with the growing
concern over co-development, the voluntary repatriation of third-country nationals, the emergence and implementation of bilateral readmission
agreements between sending and receiving countries, and the link between international migration and economic development in migrants origin
countries.
It has to be said that the increasing variety of scholarly analyses, together with the resilient politicisation of international migration movements, have
been incidental on the ways in which return migration and returnees have been understood and analysed. Oddly enough, just as Mary Kritz (1987, 948)
noted there exist conceptual problems regarding the definitions of the immigrant such definitions having a bearing on the formulation of national
immigration policies there also exist several definitional approaches to return migration, and to returnees that are playing a crucial role in orienting, if
not shaping, the perceptions, taxonomies and policies adopted by governmental and intergovernmental agencies.
As a prerequisite to exploring how return has been addressed by international migration theorists, it is important to stress that the theoretical insights
discussed below have, in various degrees, included return migration as a sub-component of their analytical approaches. While some of these insights
are the outcome of empirical studies, others stem from the collection of fragmented official quantitative data, based on given definitional criteria of the
returnee.
The critical review focuses exclusively on the theories which have attempted to propose a set of variables aimed at better understanding the magnitude
and dynamics of return migration to origin countries. Whatever their views and interpretations, all the theories presented below yield valuable insights.
They do so insofar as they differ from one another in terms of level of analysis and with respect to the salience of the issue of return in their respective
analytical frameworks.
The below synoptic tables epitomise the main assumptions of each school of thought, while taking into account five variables ranging from the way in
which return migration is viewed to the role of the returnee, the returnees motivations, the impact of financial capital and human capital. To obtain more
details on the various disciplines which are presented here, please click the highlighted links in blue.

Cross-border Social
Neo-classical New Economics of
Structuralism Transnationalism and Economic
economics Labour Migration
Networks

Return Those who stay Return is part Core/periphery Return is not Return is
migration in receiving and parcel of the dichotomy. Return to necessarily secured and
countries are migration project home countries permanent. It sustained by
those who have (seen as a occurs without occurs once cross-border
succeeded. calculated changing or enough financial networks of
Return is an strategy). It compensating for resources and social and
anomaly, if not occurs once the the structural benefits are economic
the failure of a migrants constraints inherent gathered to sustain relationships
migration objectives are in peripheral origin the household and which convey
experience. met in countries. Return is when conditions information.
destination also based on in home country Return only
countries. incomplete are favourable. It is constitutes a first
information about prepared. Return step towards the
the origin country. has a social and completion of the
historical migration project.
background.

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Neo-classical New Economics of Structuralism Transnationalism Cross-border Social

economics Labour Migration and Economic

Networks

The Embodies the Embodies the The returnee Belongs to a globally A social actor
returnee unsuccessful successful (neither a dispersed ethnic who has values,
migrant who migrant whose successful nor a group (i.e., a Diaspora projects, and
could not goals were met failed migrant) consciousness). his/her own
maximize the in destination brings back Succeeded migration perception of the
experience countries. The savings to home experience before return
abroad. returnee is a country. Return returning. The environment.
financial expectations are returnee defines Gathers
intermediary readjusted and strategies aimed at information about
and a target adapted to the maintaining cross- context and
earner. structural context border mobility and opportunities in
at home. linkages embedded in origin countries.
Behavioural global systems of Resources are
divergence ethnic and kin mobilized before
occurs on return. relationships. return. Belongs to
Only, the ill, old, cross-border
retired and networks which
untalented involve migrants
return, i.e., the and non-migrants.
cost of return is
limited.

Cross-border Social
Neo-classical New Economics of
Structuralism Transnationalism and Economic
economics Labour Migration
Networks

The returnees The migration Attachment to Attachment to Attachment to Embedded and

motivations experience home and the home and the home and the shaped by social,
failed. Need to household. household, household. Family economic and
return home. Goals are met. nostalgia. ties are crucial. institutional
Motivations are Social and opportunities at
readjusted to the economic home as well as
realities of the conditions of return by the relevance
home market are perceived of ones own
and power sufficiently resources.
relations. favourable to
motivate return.

Cross-border Social
Neo-classical New Economics of
Structuralism Transnationalism and Economic
economics Labour Migration
Networks

The No income or Remittances Savings and Pensions and Remittances and

returnees savings are constitute an remittances have social benefits are savings
financial repatriated from insurance no real impact on part of remittances. constitute just
capital abroad. against bad development in Financial resources one type of
events. Assist origin countries. are used according resources. May
The household to institutional be invested in

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the household members conditions at productive

members. monopolize home. Transform projects aimed at
financial the economic and securing return.
resources. No political structure of
multiplier effect. sending areas.

Neo-classical New Economics of Cross-border Social and

Structuralism Transnationalism
economics Labour Migration Economic Networks

The The skills The acquisition Skills acquired Improved skills and Skills acquired
returnees acquired abroad of skills varies abroad are educational abroad, as well as
human can hardly be with the wasted owing to background gained knowledge,
capital transferred in probability of structural abroad allow experiences,
origin countries return. constraints upward mobility. acquaintances, and
because they do inherent in origin values, are
not match local countries. Social contributory factors
needs. Human status does not to securing
capital is change. successful return.
wasted.

The development of this section related to scholarly approaches to return migration, from various disciplines, draws extensively on a paper published by
Jean-Pierre Cassarino, Theorising Return Migration: The Conceptual Approach to Return Migrants Revisited. International Journal on Multicultural
Societies, 6, no. 2 (2004), UNESCO, Paris, p. 253-279.

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