Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

submittedVersion

Publication Date

7-2020

Abstract

While there is a considerable literature on how people decide to move from their places of origin, few studies have examined how aspiring migrants cope with immobility and eventually decide to let go of their migration aspirations. This paper uses the lens of migration temporalities to show how Filipino nurses unable to emigrate overseas eventually chose to remain in the Philippines. In particular, we discuss how nurses formulated these decisions as they experienced different forms of temporality: from an optimistic period of 'becoming a migrant' in nursing school to the precarious temporality of building work experience in a context of staggered employment and short-term contracts. We discuss how interviewees who chose to let go of their migration aspirations came to view emigration in temporal terms as well: a short-term venture which may bring 'quick' benefits yet provide little opportunity for long term stability. We conclude the paper with a discussion of how a focus on time and temporalities can further complicate the discussion on immobility.

Keywords

Immobility, temporality, nursing, migration decisions, Philippines

Discipline

Nursing | Race and Ethnicity | Sociology

Research Areas

Sociology

Publication

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

First Page

1

Last Page

18

ISSN

1369-183X

Identifier

10.1080/1369183X.2020.1788380

Publisher

Taylor & Francis (Routledge): SSH Titles

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2020.1788380

Download

Share

COinS