Examining change in migration strategies over the life course of international PhD students

Authors:
Dana Rakovcová Charles University, Czech Republic

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Dušan Drbohlav Charles University, Czech Republic

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Article Category:
Research Article
Copyright:
© Authors 2022
Online Publication Date:
01 Mar 2021
Pages:
263–285
Publisher:
Bristol University Press
Volume/Issue:
Volume 13: Issue 2
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1332/175795921X16147616363118
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This article examines PhD students’ migration plans and strategies, their development over time, and the circumstances of their potential or real return within the changing life course context. The research is based on a longitudinal qualitative study conducted over six years (2012–17) among 21 international PhD students coming from developing countries, studying in the Netherlands. Results are discussed in the context of a cultural shift and the migration–development nexus. We argue that: (1) strong feelings of responsibility towards both their family and the development of their country of origin are leading factors shaping their migration strategies; (2) specialisation of their research project and its applicability in the home country also importantly influences their return potential; and (3) an apparent moral responsibility towards the home society and a willingness to help countries of migratory origin was growing stronger over the observation time (in harmony with post-materialist values the informants gained when studying in the Netherlands) along the progressing life course, which creates a broad potential for brain gain.

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Dana Rakovcová Charles University, Czech Republic

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Dušan Drbohlav Charles University, Czech Republic

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dana.rakovcova@gmail.com
drbohlav@natur.cuni.cz

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