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Return Migration Trajectories Between Australia and Germany Leaving the ‘lucky country’? Return migration trajectories between Australia and Germany Maren Klein This thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Health, Arts and Design Swinburne University of Technology 2016 Abstract This thesis examines migration trajectories between Australia and Germany with a particular focus on long-term return migration to Germany in the context of increasing transnational orientations and globalisation. The goal of this research to uncover patterns and understand the variety of possible trajectories within the broader contexts of globalisation, transnationalism and general societal transformations rather than constructing generalisations about return migration. This study used a qualitative approach in an interpretivist/constructivist framework with data collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted in Australia and Germany, thus enabling a strong focus on migrants’ subjective experiences and perceptions of mobility. While some statistical data and research into contemporary German migration trajectories globally was utilised, in particular in the comparison of long-term return from Australia with return from other major German emigration destinations, the emic perspective was this study’s focus. This was the most appropriate methodological choice because of the primary focus on the experiences, beliefs, thoughts, and opinions of the participants which are inevitably their own construction rather than an objective perception of reality. A further factor in the choice of this approach was the relevance of the constructivist concept of multiple, situated realities to adequately manage the participants’ variety of backgrounds and migration trajectories. The research reveals a previously unacknowledged diversity in the migration trajectories of this migrant group despite continuities in the long-term return behaviour of German migrants. It also reveals a growing openness in mobility planning accompanied by a strong national identification, the interdependency of macro-level factors and micro- level decision making and the importance of family considerations in long-term return decisions. This thesis adds to but also provides new ground to the academic debate on Australia’s migration history by illuminating the country’s post World War II shift from a homogenous and assimilationist to a multicultural society through the examination of the incorporation of an ethnic minority group. It also adds empirical and analytical insight to the academic debate regarding the diversification of migration trajectories and the shift in the understanding of the concept of long-term return migration. i Acknowledgements First and foremost I would like to thank my interview participants who took the time and shared their thoughts, experiences and feelings with me honestly despite the sometimes painful feelings that arose. Without you, this project would not have been possible. Secondly I would like to thank my Principal Coordinating Supervisor, Associate Professor Bruno Mascitelli, and my Associate Supervisor, Dr Simone Battiston, for their encouragement, their patience and their advice. I would like to thank the staff in the Research Office, the staff in the Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, and the staff in the Faculty of Business and Law who were always helpful and provided advice and assistance cheerfully, even when it was requested at the last moment. A special thank you goes to Rita Barbagallo, Anne Cain, and Jennifer Lim. Thanks also goes to my husband who did not bat an eyelid when I told him I was going to cut our disposable income; who read every version of every single draft of every single chapter; and who did not complain once about the many weekends I spent at university. Thanks to all my friends who simply believed that I could do it—even when I seriously doubted it. Thank you also to all my fellow students who provided good advice but also a place to complain and doubt: A Lam, Allison, Anna, Catherine, Cecilia, Chiara, Denise, Esther, Farinoush, Luca, Melanie, Mun, Renata, and Vassi. Thanks to my colleagues who waited patiently for a long time for me to be able to work more days per week and who cheered me on—even when I bored them to tears with my research which has no bearing on their work or lives whatsoever. Then, there were Maxie and Rousseausie who distracted me with their attention-seeking behaviour and who still loved me unconditionally even on a bad day or when I did not get home before eleven at night. Their purring, their soft paws and their meows always cheered me up. Finally, thanks to my parents for instilling a love of learning and a work ethic in their children, and to my sisters for whom me undertaking a PhD was so normal they never even questioned it. ii Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. ii Declaration .............................................................................................................................. iii List of tables ............................................................................................................................ ix List of figures .......................................................................................................................... ix List of abbreviations ................................................................................................................ x 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1.2 The origins of the research topic ...................................................................... 2 1.2 Research context ...................................................................................................... 4 1.2.1 Australian migration trends .............................................................................. 7 1.2.2 German migration trends ................................................................................. 9 1.3 Purpose of the study ............................................................................................... 11 1.3.1 Aims of study and research questions ............................................................ 11 1.3.2 The significance of the current study ............................................................. 14 1.4 An overview of the structure of the thesis ............................................................. 16 1.5 Definition of terms ................................................................................................. 17 1.6 Summary ................................................................................................................ 18 2 Literature Review ........................................................................................................... 19 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 19 2.2 Some overarching considerations .......................................................................... 20 2.3 Key theoretical approaches to migration ............................................................... 25 2.3.1 The Laws of Migration .................................................................................. 25 2.3.2 Push-pull models ............................................................................................ 26 2.3.3 Neoclassical economic theory ........................................................................ 27 2.3.4 New Economics of Labour Migration (NELM) ............................................. 28 2.3.5 Historical-structural approaches .................................................................... 29 2.3.6 Migration systems and network approaches .................................................. 31 2.3.7 Transnationalism ............................................................................................ 32 2.4 Migrant incorporation and adaptation .................................................................... 35 2.5 Return migration .................................................................................................... 38 2.6 Return migration and current theoretical approaches to migration ........................ 41 2.6.1 Return migration and economics approaches ................................................ 42 iv 2.6.2 Structural approaches ..................................................................................... 44 2.6.3 Return migration and social network approaches .......................................... 45 2.6.4 Transnationalism and return migration .......................................................... 46 2.7. Empirical investigations into return migration ...................................................... 49 2.7.1 The emigration of immigrants: return migration in the Australian context ... 49 2.7.2 German migration to and from Australia ....................................................... 50 2.7.3 Emigration and return migration in the German context ............................... 52 2.8 Summary ...............................................................................................................
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