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RESEARCH APPROACHES TO MIGRATION

Conference Paper · September 2018

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RESEARCH APPROACHES TO MIGRATION

Natasha Angeloska Galevska, PhD
University Ss.Cyril and Methodius, Faculty of Philosophy-Skopje.
natasa@fzf.ukim.edu.mk

Abstract
The research topic of the paper is focused on the strategies and approaches that
researcher can used in investigation of various aspects regarding migration. The
central research question is: what are the appropriate research methods for
exploring the problem of migration. Other research questions should determine
the benefits and constraints of particular quantitative and qualitative methods for
research of migration.
We conducted a type of desk research based on literature review and use of
secondary data. Method of content analyses is used on a sample of relevant
documents and research reports in this field, in order to point out the most
relevant and adequate approaches in researching the migration.
The results of the qualitative analyses lead us to several conclusions. While
quantitative methods (survey, descriptive statistics, regression) are necessary for
analyzing macro and micro level data (for example: demographic aspects of
migration flaws, stocks, number and percentage of emigrants and immigrants,
causes for migration, etc), qualitative approach can be valuable strategy for
exploring life of migrants. Some of the qualitative techniques (biographic
method with its variants such as life history and life course method, open
interviews, participant observation, etc.) become more and more popular in this
field. It is interesting that the first use of these methods begun with the topic of
migration and the study of Polish Peasant in Europe and America.
The purpose of this paper is also to stress the importance researchers and
students of the Institute of Security, Defense and Peace to gain research
competencies through their initial education and professional development and
to be capable to choose appropriate research strategy in order to gain valuable
and objective data for the issue they strive to research.

Introduction

In the last decade, migration and integration issues become the core topics for
discussion among politicians, scientists, researchers. It affects expansion of
research studies on various issues related to migration and integration and
development of appropriate research methods for these phenomena.

The research topic of the paper is focused on the strategies and approaches that
researcher can use in investigation of different aspects related to migration.
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The central research question is: what are the appropriate research methods for
exploring the phenomenon of migration. The paper make a link between
migration and qualitative research paradigm with its methods like biography,
participant observation, in depth interview, focus groups, feminist methodology,
etc. as a suitable approach for understanding the life and behavior of migrants.
Quantitative methods as survey, descriptive statistics, regression are necessary
for analyzing macro and micro level data like: demographic aspects of
migration flaws, stocks, number and percentage of emigrants and immigrants,
causes for migration, etc. Still qualitative approach can be used as a valuable
strategy for other relevant aspects of migrants’ life as well.

Qualitative Methods in Research on Migration – the first attempts

Since 1980s qualitative methods become more and more popular among the
researchers in the social sciences. Qualitative research paradigm became
important theoretical concept that can give fruitful data from the field.

Biographical method approach was among the first method that has been
successfully implemented by dozen of sociological researchers. Then this
perspective became useful for exploring wide range of demographic issues and
lately, life history or life course approach become popular among the
researchers for exploring migration issues.
It is interesting that the first use of these methods begun with the topic of
migration and the study named as: ‘The Polish Peasant in Europe and America
- monograph of the immigrant group”. In the methodological literature, the
study of the two Chicago scholars, William I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki, is
considered as the first classical study with use of biographical method.

The book contains an intensive account of Polish immigrants in the US based on

a collection and analyses on personal documents, letters, official papers like
court and parish documents, brochures, newspaper articles, photographs, etc.
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The whole material was published in five volumes in the period from 1918 to
1920 with total of 2232 pages. Four volumes are written by the authors, and one
is an autobiography of an immigrant Wladyslaw Wladek Wisniewski, a peasant
who was assigned and encouraged to write about his life and experience of the
migration from Poland to the US. Polish community in the US is one of the
biggest. At the beginning of 20 century, they make almost a quarter of all new
immigrants to the United States. Only in Chicago 350 000 Poles settled which
made the third largest polish community after Warsaw and Lodz.
The intent of Thomas and Znaniecki was to discover social changes and
describe the factors that make the influence but instead of common use of
statistical methods, they used qualitative approach.
Biographical method with migrants describes not only the obstacles and
challenges during their traveling, at the borders, in the migration offices, etc, but
also explain the interactions between them, their families and neighborhood,
changes in the relations with their relatives, friends, other people, society.
According to the authors, these relations and ties are the key factors to social
change. They believe that official government policies have less influence on
the community comparing to the cultural and social ties. Using personal
documents, they analysed how the Polish tried to fit in the society keeping their
tradition and unique characteristics. They stress the importance of the group and
social organization, analysing also the cases of anomie when individuals
become isolated from their community. Loosing common values and meanings
and not having new ones causes sense of emptiness, despair and lack of purpose
to strive.

Contemporary use of qualitative paradigm in migration research

The study of Polish immigrants in the US and the life story of Wladek was
probably the first systematically organized approach for collecting and
analyzing personal documents, biographies, life stories, letters, diaries. The two
authors Thomas and Znaniecki turn the theoretical research to the field data that
induced changes in the science and research methodology. Thomas concept to
collect original materials was enriched with Znaniecki idea and ability to
analyse and interpret them, building a theory how people retain their values
while their culture changes in the new different context due to migration.

There are also a number of studies that treat other problems of migrants in the
society, like socio-psychological aspects with issues of identity or belonging to
a nation or country (Verkuyten, 2001), educational aspects, how can they be
included in the formal or non formal educational activities and what are the
most suitable ways to do it, position of migrants toward the labor market, etc.

Closely associated with qualitative research methods is feminist methodology.

Number of researchers (Cook et alii, 1986; Oakley, 1998; Brayton, 2006;) stress
the potential of using feminist approach in studies of migration, considering
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quantitative methods as generally male and mainstream research design

(Cancian, 1992). “Feminist methodologists do not use or prescribe any research
method; rather they are united through various methods to include women’s
lives and concerns in accounts of society, to minimize the harms of research,
and to support changes that will improve women’s status” (DeVault, 1996: 29).
Both quantitative and qualitative methods have their advantages and
disadvantages in gathering and analysing primary and secondary data about
migration.

Probably the most desirable approach is methodological triangulation where

quantitative methods can be used in conjunction with qualitative ones.
Triangulation can be a useful tool for qualitative as well as quantitative
researchers. Linking different information from multiple sources can increase
the validity and reliability of findings,. Used with care, triangulation contributes
to the completeness and confirmation of findings necessary in qualitative
research investigations and it compensates the weaknesses of some methods by
the strengths of another.

It is not an easy task to use methodological triangulation. It is often more time

consuming and expensive but the purpose of combining the data collection
methods is to provide a more holistic and better understanding of the
phenomenon under study.

Advantages and disadvantages of methodological triangulatiuon can be

summarized in several aspects: (Angeloska, N, Iliev, D, 2018: 48)
 Contributes to greater quality in all aspects and dimensions of a
research.
 The shortcomings of one method or technique are compensated by the
advantages of another method or technique.
 Confidence in the survey data increases;
 Develop innovative ways of understanding the phenomena;
 There is unique and complete knowledge;
 Combine and integrate theories for a clearer understanding of the
problem.

Triangulation also has certain weaknesses such as:

 The application of triangulation requires developed research
conclusions, knowledge of the specifics of quantitative and qualitative
methods
 It requires more time for both application and processing and
interpretation of the results
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 A particular problem is the scope of the research material, the time

required for quantitative and qualitative analysis, as well as for
comparison of the results obtained.
 Possible contradiction of theoretical concepts from an ontological and
epistemological character.

Conclusion

Migration has been part of the human history since its beginning. It has
significantly influence our national history as well, even though it is not present
as content in the educational programs as it should be. Young generations
mainly learned about it through the stories of their relatives about their journeys,
arrivals, settlements, challenges. Qualitative methods can change this fact.
Through life histories of individuals and ethnography of the ethnic groups we
can study, research and learn more about migration.
Qualitative research approach is suitable to understand migrants’ behavior, to
explain their acts and longitudinally to study the process of their settlement and
integration in the host society.
Quantitative research approach is necessary for exploring demographic issues,
to explain international migration and decisions, to calculate economical
consequences of all these changes, and to measure the effects migration have
both in the recipient country and in the one suffering the loss of people.
Triangulation can be a useful tool for qualitative as well as quantitative
researchers. Rather than supporting the adoption of a single research method,
research in migration could benefit from a mixture of quantitative and
qualitative data gathered with various methods and techniques.

For these reasons, the purpose of this paper is also to stress the importance
students of the Institute of Security, Defense and Peace to improve their
research competencies through their education at three cycles of study and to be
capable to choose appropriate research strategy in order to gain valuable and
objective data for the issue they strive to research. Curricula for undergraduate,
master and PHD students in addition to the theories in migration have to offer
students contents about quantitative and qualitative methods in migration
research. In that sense students should gain learning skills how to identify
available data sources on migration as macro-level data, how to design survey
on different migration topics, how to select a sample and do the field work to
collect micro-level data, and how to analyse them with appropriate quantitative
and qualitative procedures.

References

1. Angeloska-Galevska, N., Iliev, D. (2018). “Application of the

Methodological Triangulation in the Pedagogical Research”, The
education at the crossroads - Conditions, challenges, solutions and
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perspectives Bitola, Conference Proceedings, Bitola: Macedonian

Science Society. pp.45-48

2. Brayton, J. (2006). What makes feminist research feminist? The

structure of feminist research within the social sciences. Available at:
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4. Cook, J.A.; Fonow, M. M. (1986). “Knowledge and Women’s Interests:
Issues of epistemology and methodology in feminist sociological
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