All partners have started to select and interview informants. These first trial interviews were presented during the meeting. This was an important exchange of material and experiences in order to secure comparative interview material. In addition, presentations of a selection of literature by Michael Burawoy introduced further methodological discussions. Amongst others, these writings explained the extended case method in detail, as well as gave an example of how comparative analysis across national settings may be conducted.
The finalization of the national context reports, the transnational analysis and the policy brief was dealt with. These will all be published briefly. In addition, an initial strategy for EUMARGINS’ publications was established.
To inspire the project members towards alternative ways of presenting and writing, John Berger’s presentation of the migrant worker in “A Seventh Man” was shed light upon. The forthcoming project meeting in London in September 2009 may further develop these thoughts as more practical sessions on multimedia approaches will be given.
The EUMARGINS Project Committee met briefly on April the 29th and drew some conclusions from the meeting that were presented to the participants.
The meeting was hosted by the French partner institution AROFE. It took place in the working class neighborhood of Nancy, Haut-du-Lièvre, an area strongly dominated by immigration. A presentation of the current public rehabilitation project of the neighborhood was given by a representative of the mayor. The intention of the rehabilitation was to create a neighborhood that is attractive to different segments of the population, not only those with immigrant and/or working class background. For lunch, local women with immigrant background made delicious food from different origins.
In the aftermath of the EUMARGINS meeting, the symposium: “Youths with ‘immigrant’ background and professional insertion” took place on (April 30, 2009). This meeting brought light to the actual knowledge on the professional insertion of youths with ‘immigrant’ background. In addition to the French, EUMARGINS’ representatives from Spain, Italy and Norway took part in the meeting and presented research on immigrants’ insertion into the labor market in their respective countries.
