ERIMIS VISION AND VALUES
ERIMIS promotes autonomous development and independent thinking and it works as a center of critical studies, psychological counselling and collaborative research with main focus on the policy discourse framing migrants, and migration from the Eastern European Countries to The Netherlands.
Analyzing the discourse of the immigration policies and practices in the host countries– as convergent or divergent with the discourse of Europeanization – is a major theme for ERIMIS. Linking the discourse of Europeanization to the discourse of Migration and local practices is the departure point in ERIMIS work.
Intervention and psychological support to all who fall apart from ‘ the BIG melting’ pot is ERIMIS’s main concern and focus.
TARGET
Migrants from the Eastern European Countries are our main, but not exclusive target and immigration policies and practices ( with focus on the healthcare sector) in the host countries, are our main research focus and field of intervention.
Policy documents, legislation bills, academic reports released after the supposed failure of Multiculturalism in Europe are taken for critical analysis. The findings of what the text analysis reveals, serve as elements for policy inquiry – frame reflection– and policy intervention.
Practices and patterns as observed at the society level, life experiences and stories, as described by migrants themselves, are taken for further analysis, methodological review, psychological support and intervention.
THEORETICAL ASSUMPTIONS AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The field of migration studies has been dominated for many years by a positivist discourse, whilst the value neutrality of the scientist was taken for granted. The assumption that the researcher speaks the truth in the name of the science, is no longer implicitly presumed, while new paradigms in innovative research underline new directions for the practice of social intervention.
We argue that migration field is in need for an innovative approach, based on critical reflection and ethical awareness, that ‘challenges the prevailing, objectivist view of policy analysis ‘[D. Schon and M.Rein ,1994].
Drawing out the guiding values used in any analysis, should be a point of departure in scholars work and practitioners, as well an issue for further investigation.
A clarification of the role-status position(s) often conflicting power positions of the researcher(s) & practitioners – here perceived as actor(s) involved in knowledge production knowledge transmission and knowledge reproduction – would balance the epistemic power and create the premises for making someone trustable for and accountable to those for whom the policy is thought.
With these assumptions in mind, we argue that an authentic Policy – Research Dialog , connecting Migration Studies as Research Domain with Immigration Policies as ‘ Input Domain’ requires the recognition of the following PRINCIPLES, as MUST guiding TOOLS in researchers and practitioners work:
1 – Ethical awareness
2. – Accountability
3. – Inclusiveness