Conference Programme (PDF, 1019KB) - Trinity College Dublin

abstracts by stream and session
Migrant-led networks to connect or disconnect?: The perspective of the visually impaired migrant in Ireland.
Esther Murphy, Dublin City University, Ireland
This research paper investigates the case of the visually impaired migrant in Ireland. The specific focus is on how migrant-led networks
support the visually impaired migrant integration into Irish society. Disability is a socially constructed concept that depending on the
cultural background may be perceived distinctly. This paper discusses the emergent data from semi -structured qualitative interviews
with visually impaired migrants and those working with them. This data gives evidence to suggest that a migrant with a perceived
stigmatised identity may not receive support through established migrant led networks and investigates the implications of this for the
migrant. This paper will present findings from progress in an overall PhD intercultural research project on the experiences of the visually
impaired migrant in Ireland.
SESSION 8a Eastern European Migrant Networks
Interacting Networks of Migrant Entrepreneurs from the Former Soviet Union to Israel: An Exploratory Study
Sibylle Heilbrunn, Ruppin Academic Center, Israel
The phenomenon of entrepreneurship among immigrant groups has a growing significance in assessing local economic development
process and social change. It is a route of economic advancement and mobility for immigrants. Immigrant entrepreneurship adds to the
economic development potential of local communities and results in sustainable economic development.
Following data of the Israeli Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, from 1989 to 2005 more than 1 million Jews immigrated to Israel, some
85% from the areas of the former Soviet Union (hereinafter referred to as FSU) and some 5% from Ethiopia, increasing Israel’s population
and labor force by an extraordinary amount (an addition to the Israel population of 1989 of some 20%). In Israel self-employment of
immigrants is a viable alternative employment solution. While many initially would have preferred to find work and are hesitant about the
unknowns of starting their own business, when the option is unemployment, they opt for the former.
In the literature immigrant entrepreneurship is often described as ethnic entrepreneurship and is perceived by immigrants as a means
to avoid ethnic discrimination and unemployment. Ethnic dealing involves mobilization of resources, personal contacts and informal
arrangements often within an ethnic enclave, segregated in terms of ethnic or immigrant background and geographical area.
The enclave economy is part of the social structure of families, neighbors, friends and acquaintances with ethnicity as encompassing
clusters of relationships that embed members in a particular culture. Location is a means to find ‘co-ethnics’ – thus ethnic businesses
are best located where they can take advantage of a large co-ethnic population in order to become self-employed. These locations often
signalize “ethnic facilitation”, which entrepreneurs can exploit when relying on networks.
The present study investigates the intersection of business, social and personal networks of entrepreneurs from the FSU in the city of
Hadera. Analyzing these intersections will add to the understanding of the meaning of ethnic enclaves and estimate the role of networks
in migrants' integration. I selected the city of Hadera because it is of manageable size (about 77,000 inhabitants) of which nearly 30% are
immigrants. The Department of Business Registration of the municipality provided a list of 126 registered immigrant business owners of
whom 89 were willing to answer to a comprehensive questionnaire for a former research. I chose 15 of these business owners in order to
conduct the exploratory network analysis for the here presented study.
Data on the businesses (including size, type, scope of investment, employees, suppliers, customers, business ties etc) and demographic
data on the entrepreneurs (age, education, family status, year of immigration, motivation to start the business, etc.) have been collected
using a comprehensive questionnaire submitted to the entrepreneurs in 2008. Via semi-structured interviews five dimensions with
specific sets of questions were investigated, focusing upon emotional, economic, and instrumental support, counseling and social
activities. Social activities included all members of the entrepreneur's family whereas the other dimensions were investigated for the
business owner her/himself only. I conducted the interviews in 2009 together with a Russian-speaking research assistant.
The data reveal evidence of interacting business, social and personal networks leading to an enclave effect with members of the
FSU migrant community in Hadera living in physical, social and emotional proximity and thereby providing opportunities for enclave
businesses. These networks promote personal contacts and informal arrangements and play a vital role in mobilizing resources for the
ethnic businesses. At the same time the proximity amounts to a socially and culturally segregated migrant community, with interacting
business, social and personal networks being nearly exclusively in-group focused. The results of my study imply that networks of FSU
immigrant entrepreneurs in Israel do not necessarily facilitate their integration into the Israeli society.
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