A critique of gender‐blind migration theories and data sources

Abstract

Despite this being the era of migration, no systematic theory of international migration has emerged, nor is there an academic or political agreement on ways in which migration is a ‘gendered’ process. Both theoretically and as inputs in the policy‐making process, gender‐blind approaches have actually rendered the gender dimension of migration more or less invisible. Through an in‐depth examination of the place of gender in the key theories of migration and relevant sources of data, the paper seeks to take stock of how these theories treat this dimension and investigate the cross‐sectional challenges in uncovering gender in international migration data. It, therefore, provides a critical review of both theory and data by shedding much‐needed light on their neglect of the gender aspects. Our findings based on a conceptual review of the literature and a case study based on Eurostat data on migration drivers demonstrate that migration theories and statistics typically equate gender with sex, which limits our ability to develop a comprehensive understanding of how complex gender dimensions shape the migration process. Moreover, given the extent to which existing data and theories overlook the intersectionality between the drivers of migration and diversity within migrant groups, this gap in knowledge presents an obstacle to gender‐responsive migration governance. In light of this, the paper discusses priorities for ‘gendering’ international migration research. We argue that in addition to improving accuracy and coverage of sex‐disaggregated statistics on international migration, both regular and irregular, it is crucial to develop quantitative as well as qualitative indicators to monitor the gender dimension in this area.

Pursuing social justice in gender and migration research

“…For example, it has been observed that gender as a socially constructed category is most often equated to women in qualitative studies (Fresnoza‐Flot & Shinozaki, 2017), a tendency resulting in the feminization of gender. In quantitative studies and statistical data on migration, Bircan and Yilmaz (2023) remark that gender has been used as synonymous with sex and that its ‘systematic integration’ in ‘migration theory and policy has yet to materialise’ (p. 174). They propose an alternative way to treat gender in migration statistics by developing ‘quantitative as well as qualitative indicators to monitor the gender dimension of migration’ (p. 181).…”

“…Gender and migration research is taking this direction step‐by‐step starting with the identification of critical issues in the field, namely the frequent equation of gender with women in qualitative studies and with sex in quantitative research and statistical data. The next logical step will be to delve into these issues and produce sufficient data on gender and migration that can influence societal actors and policymaking at the macro level (see Bircan & Yilmaz, 2023), and third, at the intersection of gender studies and migration studies, the research field of gender and migration offers a wide space for theoretical, methodological and policy reflections through the prism of an intersectional approach, 2 the adoption of a reflexive stance or the combination of these frames. Hence, it offers an intermediary ground to gender studies and migration studies where fairness and equity can be fully realized in both scholarly and societal terms.…”

Big data for official migration statistics: Evidence from 29 national statistical institutions

“…However, the interpretation of what constitutes big data varies considerably among different scientific areas, including studies of human migration and mobility. Hence, before examining how big data enhances or is applied in existing data sets concerning human movement, it is crucial to clarify the notion of big data both in the context of human migration and more broadly (Bircan et al, 2023).…”

“…In the absence of detailed data on migrants, many aspects of international migration remain understudied, and countries cannot exploit the many benefits of migration (Clemens, 2014). Additionally, the existing international migration data are subject to significant gaps and deficiencies (Bircan et al, 2020). These gaps fall into five conceptual categories – namely, inconsistent definitions, scant information on the reasons driving migration decisions, uneven geographic coverage, missing information on the demographic characteristics of migrants and outdated (obsolete) data (Ahmad-Yar and Bircan, 2021).…”

Sex- and gender-based differences in the migration process: a systematic literature review

“…These sex-specific migration data provided by the UN Population Division became available to the public in 2002 (Boyd, 2021). Gender statistics are necessary for thorough gender analyses, however, sex-disaggregated data are the best alternative at this stage and an essential first step toward gender statistics but they come with availability and quality issues (Bircan & Yilmaz, 2022).…”