An introduction to the concept of “migration stigma,” along with new analytical frameworks to deepen understanding of the experiences of immigrants, their descendants, and native-born residents in immigrant-receiving societies. Due to economic crises, sociopolitical instability, and climate change, international migration is likely to persist if not increase in the future. Meanwhile, struggles to secure widespread acceptance of immigrant populations are evident worldwide. This volume, edited by Lawrence Yang, Maureen Eger, and Bruce Link, introduces the concept of “migration stigma” and proposes new ways to understand the complex challenges facing immigrants, their descendants, and contemporary societies. Contributions reveal how migration stigma affects areas such as health, financial well-being, and social cohesion; analyze the multilevel and temporal processes underlying migration stigma; and propose social, economic, and policy frameworks to address its harmful consequences. Contributors Muna Adem, Drew Blasco, Andrea Bohman, Heide Castañeda, Christian S. Czymara, Joerg Dollmann, Maureen A. Eger, Tyrone A. Forman, Daniel Gabrielsson, San Juanita García, Anastasia Gorodzeisky, Mark L. Hatzenbuehler, Marc Helbling, Mikael Hjerm, Seth M. Holmes, Elisabeth Ivarsflaten, Tomás R. Jiménez, Irena Kogan, Christian Albrekt Larsen, Bruce G. Link, Rahsaan Maxwell, Supriya Misra, Dina Okamoto, John E. Pachankis, Nicolas Rüsch, Georg Schomerus, Patrick Simon, Anders Vassenden, Paolo Velásquez, Katie Wang, Markus Weißmann, Rima Wilkes, Lawrence H. Yang, Min Zhou

This book provides an overview of recent trends in the management of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorders that may ensue from distressing experiences associated with the process of migration. Although the symptoms induced by trauma are common to all cultures, their specific meaning and the strategies used to deal with them may be culture-specific. Consequently, cultural factors can play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with psychological reactions to extreme stress. This role is examined in detail, with an emphasis on the need for therapists to bear in mind that different cultures often have different concepts of health and disease and that cross-cultural communication is therefore essential in ensuring effective care of the immigrant patient. The therapist’s own intercultural skills are highlighted as being an important factor in the success of any treatment and specific care contexts and the global perspective are also discussed.

Human migration is a global phenomenon and is on the increase. It occurs as a result of 'push' factors (asylum, natural disaster), or as a result of 'pull' factors (seeking economic or educational improvement). Whatever the cause of the relocation, the outcome requires individuals to adjust to their new surroundings and cope with the stresses involved, and as a result, there is considerable potential for disruption to mental health. This volume explores all aspects of migration, on all scales, and its effect on mental health. It covers migration in the widest sense and does not limit itself to refugee studies. It covers issues specific to the elderly and the young, as well as providing practical tips for clinicians on how to improve their own cultural competence in the work setting. The book will be of interest to all mental health professionals and those involved in establishing health and social policy.

This dissertation provides a comprehensive understanding of substance use recovery and recovery capital among the diverse group of persons with a migration background and ethnic minorities (MEM). The doctoral study offers a nuanced and detailed examination of the lived experiences of MEM with substance use problems from a combined local (Flanders, Belgium) and international perspective. By exploring recovery and recovery capital among MEM in an increasingly participatory manner, the dissertation uncovers which personal, social and community resources may be mobilised to support recovery. It unveils how important barriers to recovery, such as multiple intersecting forms of stigma, may be overcome. Finally, a co-creative case study offers a specific deepening of how the continuum of care for substance use problems may be tailored to persons with an Islamic migration background. This dissertation aims to inspire researchers, policymakers, and (future) practitioners to look beyond existing reference, policy, and practice frameworks and to open up possibilities for more inclusive recovery-supportive environments.

Hong Kong is a meeting place for migrant domestic workers, traders, refugees, asylum seekers, tourists, businessmen, and local residents. In Born Out of Place, Nicole Constable looks at the experiences of Indonesian and Filipina women in this Asian world city. Giving voice to the stories of these migrant mothers, their South Asian, African, Chinese, and Western expatriate partners, and their Hong Kong–born babies, Constable raises a serious question: Do we regard migrants as people, or just as temporary workers? This accessible ethnography provides insight into global problems of mobility, family, and citizenship and points to the consequences, creative responses, melodramas, and tragedies of labor and migration policies.

Stigma leads to poorer health. In The Oxford Handbook of Stigma, Discrimination, and Health, leading scholars identify stigma mechanisms that operate at multiple levels to erode the health of stigmatized individuals and, collectively, produce health disparities. This book provides unique insights concerning the link between stigma and health across various types of stigma and groups.

Reconfiguring Stigma in Studies of Sex for Sale is about the production and effects of stigma in sex work or prostitution with contributions from four continents and different disciplines that taken together explore how such stigma is conditioned by differences in time, place, citizenship, gender, sexuality, class and race. Stigma is about relationships between people and also sets an interpretative frame whereby people understand and react to situations and actions, and the book is developed and organized to investigate this from various angles. It presents empirical studies that build on and expand the scholarship on stigma and sex work. This means that it contributes to a more complex understanding of stigma in sex work studies. Further, by using the example of sew work to explore how we can best understand the production and consequences of stigma, the book makes a contribution that is relevant for all scholars who work on stigma and stigmatization. The book is intended for academic audiences interested in sex work or prostitution, on the one hand, and stigmatization, on the other. It is also intended for students in a broad range of disciplines, as well as for practitioners and activists who encounter or work with stigmatization or stigmatized populations.

The Seminar on Health and Migration was initiated in recognition of the need to assess the public health implications of increasingly mobile populations, and to integrate health policies into migration management strategies. This publication details the broad range of issues discussed during the seminar including: the use of pre-departure health assessments; the need to address the mental health of migrants; healthcare access for irregular migrants; and the migration of healthcare workers. It also sets out the main challenges and areas for policy reform, such as the need for programme support, local capacity building, information-sharing and communication of best practices.