MICA's research programme is aligned with the research agenda of the Centre for Excellence in Research on Ageing and Care (CoE AgeCare) and builds upon an advancing understanding of ageing and migration as relational social phenomena. We recognize that individuals with a migration history experience the impact of social change both on a societal level and in their personal lives. We acknowledge that the same social forces that fracture societies also fracture the lives and social relationships of many individuals. Furthermore, we understand that the lives of older individuals are intertwined with those of their significant others, and these connections can either provide support or create obstacles.
We advance two research objectives. Firstly, we place special emphasis on individuals who are rendered vulnerable due to significant societal challenges such as significant demographic shifts, climate change, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine and conflict in Sudan.
Secondly, we examine the growing diversity of life trajectories and circumstances among older individuals, their families, and friends. We also consider the structural factors that contribute to inequalities experienced by ageing populations.
Our research activities are divided into three thematic units that align harmoniously with the broader CoE AgeCare research agenda. The MICA team primarily focuses on themes 1 and 2, while researchers affiliated with the broader MICA research group investigate all three themes.
The research programme of the MICA research group, focusing on the long-term impact of migration on individuals' later lives, will yield valuable insights into the role of migration in life transitions and cumulative disadvantages.
We aim at situating the analysis of agency within concrete relationships and real-life situations. We analyse how social divisions such as old age, gender, socioeconomic status, and migrancy, as well as their intersections, shape people's agency in later life.
Furthermore, our work will provide valuable insights into the present and anticipated challenges related to the recruitment, retention, and renewal of the care workforce.