Cross-border mobility and strategies of development among returned Moldavian immigrants

Abstract

Peer reviewed ; Borders and human mobility have become key elements in the development of the global society of the twenty-first century. Growing attention to the development potential of migration has recently raised a new concern regarding the issue of return migration. Linked to this, the debate on the migration-development nexus considers circulation to foster development as it enhances the flow of financial, social and cultural capital to the countries of origin. This paper links cross-border mobility and return to development migration. Taking into account the historical, geopolitical and social changes in Moldova, the paper examines the perceptions of mobility and return for development of the Moldovans engaged in emigration in the countries of the European Union. Using a multi-discipline approach and ethnographic research (in-depth interviews) conducted among Moldovan migrants in their home country, this paper seeks to analyse how mobility and return can support social change and development within the country.