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Postgraduate Students

• • Full List
  • Mohammed Al-Shehri
  • Samaila Ammani
  • Matej Blazek
  • Laura Booth
  • Canford Chiroro
  • Neil Davidson
  • Catriona Fyffe
  • Will Halkett
  • Ambark Hamd
  • Amy Holden
  • Timothy Lewis
  • Elaine Morrison
  • Martin Muir
  • Stuart Muirhead
  • Victoria Powell
  • Shiraz Sheriff
  • Sophie Sherriff
  • Alexandra Stam
  • Josselin Rouillard
  • Morgan Windram-Geddes
  • Andrew Wooff
  • Mike Woolvin
  • David Yawson
  • Elizabeth Young

Alexandra Stam

Research interest

Population Geography with a special interest in the new forms of migration such as student migration and marriage migration.

Title of the thesis

Intermarriage and the geographies of love

Little is known about the relationship between migration and marriage. Literature on migration lacked to consider marriage as a way to migrate or as a consequence of migration. Existing literature is mainly concerned with forced marriages or mail-order brides, hence often implying violence, abuse or a lack of choice. However, there is no doubt that marriage and migration are intimately related. Many chose to migrate for marriage or chose to get married for migration. This trend is the more so important in a global society characterised by restrictive immigration policies. My research, which is carried out in Switzerland, aims to theorise marriage migration. By using a pluralist approach, it both explores general trends and enters the daily life of a marriage migrant.

Research questions

1. Classify marriage migrants in Switzerland: How do marriage migrants differ from other types of migrants?
2. Explain patterns of marriage migration to Switzerland: How does structure and agency interact to create different marriage migration flows?
3. Understand the experience of a marriage migrant: To what extent do marriage migrants identify with their origins and host society?
4. Propose migration policy relevant to the research findings: identify policy changes that could alter access, ease of inclusion.

Publications

FINDLAY, A., STAM, A, KING, R. and RUIZ-GELICES, E. (2005 in press) International Opportunities: Searching for the Meaning of Student Migration, Geographica Helvetica Vol. 60 (3).

KING, R., FINDLAY, A.M., STAM, A. & RUIZ-GELICES, E. (2004a): The UK's Changing Position in the International Exchange of Students. - In: World Views 16: 5-8.

KING, R., FINDLAY, A.M., RUIZ-GELICES, E. & STAM, A. (2004b) International Student mobility: Final Report. HEFCE Issues Paper 30. - London: HEFCE.

Academic Background

• BSc Geography, University of Lausanne (Switzerland)
• MSc University of Dundee
• Currently undertaking a PhD