Work in Transition

"Work in Transition adds empirical depth and theoretical sophistication to the literature on cultural capital in a labour migration context." -- Harald Bauder, Director, Ryerson Centre for Immigration and Settlement, Ryerson University "An original and serious advance on research in the field, Work in Transition will appeal both to those interested in the analysis of highly skilled transitions in general and to those particularly attracted by the comparative analysis." -- Eleonore Kofman, Professor of Gender, Migration, and Citizenship, School of Law, Middlesex University

Work in Transition shows how migrants develop their cultural capital in order to enter the workforce, as well as how failure to leverage that capital can lead to permanent exclusion from professional positions.

Despite the fact that many countries target highly skilled migrants for recruitment in the global labour market, few of those migrants are able to take full advantage of their educational and professional qualifications in their new homes. Work in Transition examines this paradox, using extended narrative interviews that focus on the role that cultural capital plays in the labour market.

Comparing the migrant experience in Germany, Canada, and Turkey, Work in Transition shows how migrants develop their cultural capital in order to enter the workforce, as well as how failure to leverage that capital can lead to permanent exclusion from professional positions. Exposing the mechanisms that drive inclusion and exclusion for migrants from a transatlantic comparative perspective, this book provides a unique analytical approach to an increasingly important global issue.