We are organizing an online workshop on ethnic discrimination and brain waste. The body of research on discrimination against ethnic minorities, immigrants and their descendants in Europe has grown significantly in the last twenty years, documenting differential treatment and discrimination in different markets (e.g. labour market, housing) and social spheres regulated by principles of equality (e.g. school, health service, police).
Brain waste occurs when the education and skills of immigrants are underutilized in the host country (also referred to as over-education or over-schooling). Consider the example of a migrant scientist who works as a taxi driver. Patterns of discrimination and brain waste are embedded in institutional contexts and a larger societal environment, characterized not only by economic uncertainties and political polarization in public debate around immigrant related issues, but also by increasing diversity and opportunities of contact. Such changes in the context are likely to affect attitudes, norms, and behaviour in the majority and minority population.
This workshop will bring together researchers on ethnic discrimination and brain waste, tackling these issues from various disciplines, theoretical backgrounds, and methods. We welcome empirical studies of discrimination patterns across a large variety of domains, and studies on the consequences of anti-discrimination policies and legislation. Other contributions may focus on how to better measure skills-mismatch, the propensity of immigrants to become self-employed as a result of over-education, the propensity to (re-)migrate due to over-education, or their likelihood to send remittances. We are particularly keen on contributions that fully account for the gender dimension of discrimination and brain waste.
Details
Submit your abstract specifying the research question, data, methods and findings (200 words maximum) at http://neuchatel.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0xpW57JWD4F1fox no later than 20 September 2020. For further information get in touch with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The workshop will take place online (Webex), and is organized by the IMISCOE research group ‘Highly Skilled Migrants and Brain Waste’ This is a free workshop.
Online workshop, 6 November 2020, University of Neuchâtel.