ONGOING RESEARCH               

At this place PICUM wishes to put names and contact addresses of researchers and research institutes who are currently undertaking research on undocumented migration within Europe, together with a brief description on the theme of their research. 

All researchers are kindly invited to send information to the secretariat.

The Globalisation of Household Work - A Study on the Everyday Life of Transmigrant Domestic Workers in Germany

This research project is an exploratory study with a focus on the everyday life of transmigrant domestic workers currently employed in German households. Until very recently domestic work for pay has not attracted much scientific or political attention. However, in the last few years there has been an obviously increasing demand for paid household labour in Germany, much of which is currently being met by transmigrant domestic workers and/or migrant domestic who are often residing in the country illegally. In the first phase of the project, numerous interviews were carried out with representatives of NGOs and informants from the fields of social work, politics, women‘s groups, trade unions etc. in Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. Qualitative interviews are currently being conducted with ‚illegal‘ domestic workers from Eastern Europe and Latin America who are now working in households in Hamburg and Munich. Research is supported by the Hamburg Institute for Social Research.

Undocumented Migrants in the United States and Germany. 

The effects of internal migration control on the living conditions of sans papiers in comparative perspective. 

Illegal in Munich                                    

A study has been commissioned by the City of  Munich into the social problems faced by undocumented migrants, including those with insecure status. The study is to be carried out by Philip Anderson who will be assisted by Pater Jörg Alt of the Jesuit Refugee Service.

A wide range of interviewees are to be included ranging from the undoumented themselves to local authority organisations, doctors, lawyers, NGOs and others who have to deal with the day-to-day problems encountered by the undocumented.

  Issues to be examined by the survey include:

-         How do people become ilegal in Germany? What are the reasons for illegal residence?

-         What are the problems faced relating to employment and de-skilling?

-         How do people find accommmodation, what difficulties are associated with this?

-         Issues relating to health care, stress and the danger of accidents.

-         What are the consequences arising from these sets of problems at local authority level and how can they be addressed?

A report of the findings is due in the summer of 2002 with the main focus on human rights issues relating to the undocumented and areas of action which can be taken up at local authority level.

(September 2001)

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