I do research on global migration, immobility and transnationalism. My work seeks to explain how migration arises, and how it affects societies, families and individuals. I combine my background in Human Geography with perspectives from other disciplines and use both ethnographic and statistical methods. Beyond my thematic specialisms, I have an interest in academic writing, visualization and research communication. See also my personal web site.
Jørgen Carling
Research Professor in Migration Studies
Interests and experience
I am Co-Director of the PRIO Migration Centre (see separate page).
My research primarily addresses these themes:
- Theories of migration and transnationalism
- Migration aspirations and intentions
- Networks and chain migration processes
- Family and gender in migration
- Immigration policy and migration pressure
- Border control and migrant fatalities
- Undocumented migration and human smuggling
- The demography of immigrant communities
- Remittances and migration-development links
I use diverse methods, often in combination:
- Semi-structured interviews
- Participant observation in multi-sited fieldwork
- Purpose-made sample surveys
- Statistical analysis of existing survey data
- Discourse and document analysis
Editorial board memberships
- International Migration
- International Migration Review,
- Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies,
- Migration Letters
- Migration Studies.
Personal profiles on other sites
Language skills
- Mother tongue: Norwegian
- Fluency: English, and Cape Verdean Kriol
- Reading proficiency: Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, French
- All but forgotten: Esperanto and Japanese
Education
- PhD, Human geography (University of Oslo, 2007)
- Cand. polit., Human geography (University of Oslo, 2001)
- Cand. mag., Human geography, demography and economics (University of Oslo, 1998)
- International Baccalaureate (United World College of the Atlantic, 1993)
Projects
All projects
Dec 2018 – Jul 2025
Future Migration as Present Fact (FUMI)
Future Migration as Present Fact (FUMI)
Jun 2018 – Aug 2024
MIGNEX - Aligning Migration Management and the Migration-Development Nexus
MIGNEX - Aligning Migration Management and the Migration-Development Nexus
Jan 2017 –
Meaning of Migrants
Meaning of Migrants
Jan 2016 –
Critical Perspectives on Migrant Smuggling
Critical Perspectives on Migrant Smuggling
Jul 2015 –
International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion in Europe (IMISCOE)
International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion in Europe (IMISCOE)
PRIO Fieldwork Network (FIWON)
Sep 2021 – Dec 2022
Migration of asylum seekers and the politics of labelling: The discursive construction of the refugee label in the Norwegian government 2016-2021
Migration of asylum seekers and the politics of labelling: The discursive construction of the refugee label in the Norwegian government 2016-2021
Jan 2020 – Jul 2023
QuantMig: Quantifying Migration Scenarios for Better Policy
QuantMig: Quantifying Migration Scenarios for Better Policy
Jan 2018 – Jun 2018
Concept, themes and methodology for policy-relevant research on sustainable migration from poor to rich countries
Concept, themes and methodology for policy-relevant research on sustainable migration from poor to rich countries
Aug 2017 – Dec 2020
FINEX: Financial Exclusion, Islamic Finance and Housing in the Nordic Countries
FINEX: Financial Exclusion, Islamic Finance and Housing in the Nordic Countries
Latest publications
All publications
Nicolás Caso et al. (2023)
Migration and alternative responses to dissatisfaction
Migration and alternative responses to dissatisfaction
MIGNEX Background paper
Jørgen Carling et al. (2023)
The multi-level determination of migration processes
The multi-level determination of migration processes
MIGNEX Background paper
Jørgen Carling (2023)
The phrase ‘refugees and migrants’ undermines analysis, policy and protection
The phrase ‘refugees and migrants’ undermines analysis, policy and protection
Journal Article in International Migration
Marta Bivand Erdal et al. (2023)
The determination of migration through focus group data
The determination of migration through focus group data
MIGNEX Background Paper
Mathilde Bålsrud Mjelva & Jørgen Carling (2023)
Surveys on migration aspirations, plans and intentions: a comprehensive overview
Surveys on migration aspirations, plans and intentions: a comprehensive overview
Journal Article in Open Research Europe
Jørgen Carling (2023)
How I’ve used mixed methods (or not) over 20 years of doing migration research
How I’ve used mixed methods (or not) over 20 years of doing migration research
Camille Kasavan et al. (2022)
Migration and development dynamics in Redeyef, Tunisia
Migration and development dynamics in Redeyef, Tunisia
MIGNEX Case Study Brief
Jørgen Carling & Hannah Murray (2022)
Migration and development dynamics in Boa Vista, Cabo Verde
Migration and development dynamics in Boa Vista, Cabo Verde
MIGNEX Case STudy Briefs
Jørgen Carling & Jessica Hagen-Zanker (2022)
Migration and development dynamics in São Nicolau, Cabo Verde
Migration and development dynamics in São Nicolau, Cabo Verde
MIGNEX Case Study Brief
Maryam Aslany, Tone Sommerfelt & Jørgen Carling (2022)
Empirical analyses of determinants of migration aspirations
Empirical analyses of determinants of migration aspirations
QuantMig deliverable
Latest news
All news
Friday, 20 Oct 2023
International Group of Early-Career Scholars Learn Survey Methods at PRIO
International Group of Early-Career Scholars Learn Survey Methods at PRIO
Early-career scholars from all over the world came to PRIO to attend a state-of-the-art PhD-level course on survey methods, with a focus on migration research.
Sunday, 9 Apr 2023
Survey Methods in Migration Research: Design, Implementation, and Analysis
Survey Methods in Migration Research: Design, Implementation, and Analysis
PhD-Level Course now open for applications.
Saturday, 22 Oct 2022
FUMI Survey Data Collection Completed in The Gambia
FUMI Survey Data Collection Completed in The Gambia
A dedicated team overcomes flooding and other challenges
Thursday, 22 Sep 2022
International PhD Students Participate in Ethnographic Fieldwork Methodology Course
International PhD Students Participate in Ethnographic Fieldwork Methodology Course
As part of the NORHED II project Partnership for Peace: Better Higher Education for Resilient Societies, PRIO hosted a PhD-level course in Ethnographic Fieldwork Methodology.
Monday, 12 Sep 2022
Early-Career Scholars Learn Survey Methods in Migration Research
Early-Career Scholars Learn Survey Methods in Migration Research
Survey-based research is widespread but also replete with challenges.
Tuesday, 31 May 2022
Next Steps toward New Insights on Migration, Development and Policy from MIGNEX
Next Steps toward New Insights on Migration, Development and Policy from MIGNEX
Successful MIGNEX consortium meeting in Istanbul, with inspiring discussion as the project members continue to build new knowledge on migration, development and policy.
Friday, 13 May 2022
PhD-Level Course: Ethnographic Fieldwork Methodology
PhD-Level Course: Ethnographic Fieldwork Methodology
PRIO invites applications for this course, which will be taught in person in Oslo in September 2022.
Friday, 6 May 2022
New PhD-Level Course: Survey Methods in Migration Research
New PhD-Level Course: Survey Methods in Migration Research
PRIO invites applications for this course, which will be taught in person in Oslo in September 2022.
Thursday, 21 Apr 2022
Kelly Fisher Is the New Coordinator of the PRIO Migration Centre
Kelly Fisher Is the New Coordinator of the PRIO Migration Centre
Kelly Fisher takes over from Mathias Hatleskog Tjønn as the coordinator of the PRIO Migration Centre.
Thursday, 17 Feb 2022
New PhD-Level Course: 'Migration Theory: Perspectives on Time and Temporalities'
New PhD-Level Course: 'Migration Theory: Perspectives on Time and Temporalities'
PRIO invites applications for this course, which will be taught in person in Oslo in June 2022.
Latest events
All events
Monday, 30 Aug 2021 15:00–16:00 UTC+02
Transnational lives: the meanings and implications of living in two countries
Transnational lives: the meanings and implications of living in two countries
Tuesday, 25 May 2021 13:00–14:30 UTC+02
Ensuring comparability in cross-national research on migration
Ensuring comparability in cross-national research on migration
Friday, 11 Dec 2020 14:00–15:00 UTC+01
Translating migration theory into empirical propositions
Translating migration theory into empirical propositions
Thursday, 19 Nov 2020 14:00–16:00 UTC+01
Visions for research on migrant transnationalism
Visions for research on migrant transnationalism
Thursday, 8 Oct 2020 15:00–16:30 UTC+02
Sampling respondents in migration surveys: challenges and trade-offs
Sampling respondents in migration surveys: challenges and trade-offs
Monday, 28 Oct 2019 08:30–10:00 UTC+01
Transnational Lives in the Welfare State: Presentation of Findings
Transnational Lives in the Welfare State: Presentation of Findings
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2017 08:30–10:00 UTC+01
Ten Years of Migration Research at PRIO
Ten Years of Migration Research at PRIO
Friday, 16 Jun 2017 12:00–13:30 UTC+02
Borders and Art
Borders and Art
Tuesday, 2 May 2017 08:15–09:45 UTC+02
Here's how to fix the refugee crisis! Or perhaps not?
Here's how to fix the refugee crisis! Or perhaps not?
Wednesday, 26 Apr 2017 08:00–09:45 UTC+02
Hva vet vi om innvandreres bånd til Norge og opprinnelseslandet?
Hva vet vi om innvandreres bånd til Norge og opprinnelseslandet?
Latest blog posts
All blog posts
Tuesday, 18 Feb 2020
Why We Need Research on Migrant Transnationalism Today
Why We Need Research on Migrant Transnationalism Today
Friday, 15 Nov 2019
Accountable to Whom? Reflecting on the ethics of doing migration research
Accountable to Whom? Reflecting on the ethics of doing migration research
Monday, 27 Aug 2018
Is ‘Sustainable Migration’ a Valuable Concept?
Is ‘Sustainable Migration’ a Valuable Concept?
Monday, 16 Jul 2018
Record deaths at sea: will ‘regional disembarkation’ help save lives?
Record deaths at sea: will ‘regional disembarkation’ help save lives?
Saturday, 4 Nov 2017
Migrant Smugglers Are Winning. Here’s Why
Migrant Smugglers Are Winning. Here’s Why
Tuesday, 12 Sep 2017
Batman in Vienna: Choosing How to Confront Migrant Smuggling
Batman in Vienna: Choosing How to Confront Migrant Smuggling
Wednesday, 21 Jun 2017
A PhD by Publication Allows You to Write for Real and Varied Audiences, Inviting Intellectual Exchanges that Benefit your Research
A PhD by Publication Allows You to Write for Real and Varied Audiences, Inviting Intellectual Exchanges that Benefit your Research
Monday, 19 Sep 2016
The End Of Migrants As We Know Them?
The End Of Migrants As We Know Them?
Monday, 7 Sep 2015
Refugees are Also Migrants. And All Migrants Matter
Refugees are Also Migrants. And All Migrants Matter
Thursday, 11 Jun 2015
Finding Connections: The Nexus between Migration and Corruption
Finding Connections: The Nexus between Migration and Corruption
Work positions
2011–
Research Professor in Migration StudiesPeace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
2016
Visiting scholarUnited Nations University-MERIT, Maastricht
2010
Visiting scholarNational University of Singapore
2007–2011
Senior ResearcherPeace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
2005
Visiting scholarCOMPAS, University of Oxford
2003
Visiting scholarNetherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI)
2002–2007
Doctoral researcherPeace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
