– Which research project are you mostly working on now?
– I am currently wrapping up a project on second generation immigrants in Singapore and Qatar. I am writing up some publications from that project as well as applying for funding for some new projects, also migration-related.
– What do you wish to find out?
– The main research question in that project on the second generation was: Does citizenship matter to integration and belonging? Singapore and Qatar are two very comparable sites as they are small wealthy states with high immigration levels. However, in Singapore there is a pathway to access citizenship, while in Qatar this is impossible for migrants, unless your father is a local Qatari. The comparative focus then allows us to see to what extent formal citizenship matters for a sense of belonging, loyalty and integration.
– Why is this important?
– This is important because many countries, including many in Europe, are struggling politically with issues linked to the integration of immigrants. Countries across the world are also increasingly adopting large-scale temporary migration schemes, which the Gulf states and Singapore have instituted for decades. The findings from this project can then hopefully inform potential outcomes of these schemes in other parts of the world.
– Who are you collaborating with?
– I led a research team with a postdoctoral fellow, a PhD student and several part-time student researchers. During covid, when I was unable to travel to research sites such as those in India and the Persian Gulf, I worked with local researchers in these areas who undertook some primary data collection for the project. This led to productive co-written outputs that have improved my own processes of writing and thinking.
– What do you look for when choosing collaborators?
– The most important thing for me is finding people I get along well with so that we can develop a productive working relationship. Professionalism, enthusiasm for the research and reflexive research ethics are also very important factors in collaborations.
– What other research projects are you involved in?
– I have some ongoing work with low wage labour migrants in Singapore and the Gulf. I am also beginning a project here in Oslo trying to understand the job seeking experiences of new migrants to the city. I am becoming increasingly interested in nationalist populism and so will also hopefully begin some work on how this is transmitted by migrants transnationally through social media and other online forums.
– What do you find most interesting about being a researcher?
– I love the excitement of new ideas and learning new things about places as well. Since I am primarily a qualitative researcher, I work directly with people quite a lot. Meeting people and hearing about their lives energizes me. It is also a humbling experience when people choose to share their stories with you. You feel a sense of responsibility in using this information for larger societal and social justice outcomes.
– What is the most common question you receive about your job when you are with others?
– People often ask me how I became interested in studying migration. And I usually respond by talking about growing up in Singapore, which is a such a multicultural space made up of descendants of different immigrants communities, it was almost a natural topic to study. My own family's history of circular migration within the British colonial empire is also part of why I became so interested in this area of research.