AspirE findings presented at Global Mobility Humanities Conference (GMHC) in Seoul

We are pleased to announce that Ruth Achenbach (PI of the Germany-based team) presented her paper on “Im/mobility aspirations of Japanese migrants in urban Germany in intersectional perspective” at the 2023 Global Mobility Humanities Conference (GMHC) at Konkuk University, Seoul. The presentation was part of the "Migration, Labour, and Aspiration" panel.

Her study builds on de Haas' (2014) aspirations-capabilities framework, exploring how Japanese migrants in urban Germany envision their futures and form aspirations around mobility and immobility. Although Japanese migration to Europe has often been seen as short-term or temporary, a growing number are choosing to stay mid to long-term in Germany. The study, based on 30 semi-structured interviews and social network analysis conducted within the AspirE project, seeks to understand how these migrants contemplate their lives if they were to stay, return, or move on.

By examining how personal and professional aspirations intersect in these migrants’ decision-making, the research offers insights into the psychological and affective dimensions of migration decisions. This approach provides a more nuanced and human-centered perspective on how mobility and immobility aspirations develop.

This research contributes to the broader understanding of migration decision-making, especially regarding the prospective thinking and psychological impacts that influence migrants' choices.