Methodology

Phase 1: Developing research network and planning research implementation

Each country partner proposed the research they hoped to undertake within the programme. Other activities included:

• Studying historical and current literature on migration from the country.
• Analysing existing studies and data sets (e.g. the surveys the World Bank is currently conducting in cooperation with national authorities).
• Writing papers containing detailed country migration profiles, reviewing all data and studies available on migration from, to and through the case study countries.
• Exchange visits of researchers to exchange information, discuss methods and help build research capacities.
• Conducting pilot studies in preparation for Phase 2.

Phase 2: Case studies

The second phase was dedicated to empirical field research in each of the four countries. The case studies were led by the in-country universities' research teams with support from IMI.

A combination of qualitative and quantitative empirical research (surveys, non-directive interviews, life histories and participant observation) methods were employed depending on the research question.

Phase 3: Data analysis, writing up, workshop and dissemination

Phase 3 was dedicated to analysing the data, writing up the research results, and disseminating findings. This included individual country reports, a synthesis report, working papers, journal articles and policy briefs.

During this phase, team members presented their findings at relevant international academic conferences and workshops with practitioners and policy-makers.

IMI also convened an international workshop on southern perspectives on international migration, including African researchers and participants from migration research networks in Asia-Pacific and Latin America in order to compare empirical and theoretical findings.