Research approach

The activities conducted by DeMi aim at developing comprehensive theoretical analyses and practical insights on the multi-level transformation processes underway due to the new patterns of international collaboration and types of migration not present in the past. 

The studies focus on transnational spaces that take place "above", "between" and "within" the nation states including developing countries, emerging economies and highly industrialized countries. This research approach describes the joint impacts of macro-level processes, cross-border ties and networks, and the motivations and meanings of people as their own agents in the current processes of change and transformation.

The research activities are organised around the following aspects: (1) political (citizen-ship, identification, institutional change, political transformation); (2) socio-cultural (inte-gration, acculturation, social/cultural transformation); (3) economic (labour migration, brain circulation, economic development); (4) educational (education in multicul-tural/transnational contexts, education and development).

In addition to the broader structural level (macro), the research interests include the indi-vidual decision-making level (micro), and the people within the transnational networks on the intermediate level (meso).