IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/woemps/v19y2005i2p349-368.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Overseas nurses’ motivations for working in the UK

Author

Listed:
  • John Aggergaard Larsen

    (University of Surrey, UK, j.larsen@surrey.ac.uk)

  • Helen T. Allan

    (University of Surrey, UK)

  • Karen Bryan

    (University of Surrey, UK)

  • Pam Smith

    (University of Surrey, UK)

Abstract

This article addresses the theoretical integration of macro and micro dimensions of global workforce migration, detailing overseas nurses’motivations for working in the UK. The discussion is based on focus group interviews with overseas nurses in three areas in the UK. Their motivations for migrating are contrasted with their experiences of frequently being stereotyped as economic migrants who come from poor countries to gain financial benefits. These conflicting perspectives on overseas nurses’ motivations are explored through a discussion of Bauman’s notion of global and local values, which conceptually combines issues of globalization with the migrants’ perspectives. Giddens’ concept ‘life politics’ is introduced to take further account of individuals’experiences and perspectives. Our data suggest that overseas nurses take a global, transnational perspective on life. Likewise, the simplistic understanding of overseas nurses as economic migrants appears to reflect a local perspective where the lives of individuals are seen to be confined within the borders of nation states. The analysis suggests how perspectives on migration are shaped by individuals’ values and life orientations interfacing with conditions of globalization.

Suggested Citation

  • John Aggergaard Larsen & Helen T. Allan & Karen Bryan & Pam Smith, 2005. "Overseas nurses’ motivations for working in the UK," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 19(2), pages 349-368, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:19:y:2005:i:2:p:349-368
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017005053177
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0950017005053177
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0950017005053177?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Leroi Henry & Giles Mohan, 2003. "Making homes: the Ghanaian diaspora, institutions and development," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(5), pages 611-622.
    2. Rachel Reynolds, 2002. "An African brain drain: Igbo decisions to immigrate to the US," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(92), pages 273-284.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nerys Fuller-Love & Mofoluke Akiode, 2020. "Transnational Entrepreneurs Dynamics in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A Critical Review," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 6(1), pages 41-66, January.
    2. Sarah Neal & Katy Bennett & Allan Cochrane & Giles Mohan, 2013. "Living Multiculture: Understanding the New Spatial and Social Relations of Ethnicity and Multiculture in England," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 31(2), pages 308-323, April.
    3. Ester Serra Mingot & Valentina Mazzucato, 2017. "Mobile Populations in Immobile Welfare Systems: A Typology of Institutions Providing Social Welfare and Protection Within a Mobility Framework," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(4), pages 787-805, August.
    4. Caryn M. Vazzana & Jeta Rudi-Polloshka, 2019. "Appalachia Has Got Talent, But Why Does It Flow Away? A Study on the Determinants of Brain Drain From Rural USA," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 33(3), pages 220-233, August.
    5. Connell, John, 2014. "The two cultures of health worker migration: A Pacific perspective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 73-81.
    6. Lothar Smith & Valentina Mazzucato, 2009. "Constructing Homes, Building Relationships: Migrant Investments In Houses," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 100(5), pages 662-673, December.
    7. Bakewell Oliver, 2009. "Migration, Diasporas and Development: Some Critical Perspectives," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(6), pages 787-802, December.
    8. Rebecca Davies, 2010. "Development challenges for a resurgent African diaspora," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 10(2), pages 131-144, April.
    9. Yuan Liang & Casey Watters & Michał K. Lemański, 2022. "Responsible Management in the Hotel Industry: An Integrative Review and Future Research Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-18, December.
    10. Mazzucato, Valentina, 2006. "Migrant transnationalism: Two-way flows, changing institutions and community development between Ghana and the Netherlands," economic sociology. perspectives and conversations, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, vol. 7(3), pages 8-16.
    11. Kevin J. A. Thomas, 2016. "Highly Skilled Migration from Africa to the US: Exit Mechanisms, Demographic Determinants, and the Role of Socioeconomic Trends," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(6), pages 825-849, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:19:y:2005:i:2:p:349-368. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.britsoc.co.uk/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.