Globalisation, Migration and Socio-Economic Change in Contemporary Greece
Title
Globalisation, Migration and Socio-Economic Change in Contemporary Greece
Subtitle
Processes of Social Incorporation of Balkan Immigrants in Thessaloniki
Price
€ 54,95 excl. VAT
ISBN
9789053568736
Format
Paperback
Number of pages
340
Language
English
Publication date
Dimensions
15.6 x 23.4 cm
Table of Contents
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Summary of thesis - 6 Table of Contents - 8 List of tables - 10 List of figures - 11 Abbreviations - 12 Acknowledgements - 14 1: Introduction - 18 2: Locating our case in a world of change - 26 3: Methodology and analytical framework - 58 4: Structure, patterns and dynamics of migration - 88 5: Confronting the state, facing society - 110 6: Emloyment and labour-market integration - 138 7: Housing and socio-spatial integration - 172 8: A ‘space’ for living: socio-cultural integration - 198 9: Migration and social change: revisiting theory - 232 10: Conclusion: faraway so close - 268 Bibliography - 294 Appendix A - 310 Appendix B1 - 320 Appendix B2 - 336

Panos Hatziprokopiou

Globalisation, Migration and Socio-Economic Change in Contemporary Greece

Processes of Social Incorporation of Balkan Immigrants in Thessaloniki

This empirical study examines issues surrounding the integration of immigrants in Greece, in particular in Thessaloniki, as well as looking at migrants in neighbouring countries, Albania and Bulgaria. The book suggests that immigrants’ integration should be understood in relation to broader processes of social change, which are increasingly connected to global forces. The transformation of Greece into a multicultural society has taken place during a period of transition and of increasing exposure to the international environment. Within this context, Thessaloniki has become a new home for immigrants from the Balkans in search of new identities.

Integration is seen as a multifaceted and dynamic process. The concept of incorporation is critically introduced, in order to analyse both the ways by which migrants organise their lives in the host society and their structural, institutional and cultural conditions. The analytical framework is built upon an interdisciplinary approach that takes into account different incorporation contexts: socio-political responses, the labour market, housing and social space. A number of additional factors are also considered, e.g. the composition of migrant populations, migratory patterns and dynamics, the role of social networks, immigrants’ strategies.

The book provides an empirical account of the immigrants’ characteristics, explaining the patterns and typologies of immigrants’ integration in Greece. “Immigrants” become a social category “constructed” by exclusionary mechanisms: restrictive immigration policy, labour market exploitation, xenophobia. However, they do make a living in Thessaloniki; their integration is subject to time. gradually, immigrants become organic elements of the host society, which shapes, but is also being shaped by migration.
Author

Panos Hatziprokopiou

Panos Hatziprokopiou is a Research Fellow in Social Policy at Middlesex University in London. He has published on aspects of immigration in Greece, while his current research focuses on migration and the integration of immigrants in European cities.