• Why do employers matter in research on irregular migration?
    Jan 12 2026

    In this episode host Bridget Anderson is joined by Dr Leila Giannetto and Dr Eda Yazici who both have first-hand experience of the fieldwork conducted for the PRIME Project in Italy and in the UK. Here they unpack the practicalities of conducting ethical research with employers and navigating access. Leila and Eda share how they've approached data analysis and highlight some of their most compelling findings. These include how employer size shapes perspectives, the tension between institutional legitimacy’s dependence on durability, continuity and stability, and the volatile and politically sensitive nature of immigration policy. They also examine the tensions between policy and practice, especially around how the labour market is framed. While employers often think in terms of local, regional, and international labour supply, policy remains largely focused on the national scale — a disconnect that’s rarely discussed but has significant implications.


    To learn more about the PRIME Project and read its latest reports visit the project website.


    Bridget Anderson is the co-Principal Investigator on the PRIME project, Professor of Migration, Mobilities and Citizenship at the University of Bristol, and Director of Migration Mobilities Bristol.


    Leila Giannetto is a Research Fellow at the Migration Policy Centre of the European University Institute.


    Eda Yazici is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol.


    Produced by Migration Mobilities Bristol


    Edited by Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitz

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    33 mins
  • How does PRIME research compare between countries?
    Jun 23 2025

    Key to the approach, research questions and method of PRIME is our exploration of institutional differences across different countries, and how these shape experiences of, and responses to, irregular migration. Context matters, so how do we compare across different countries? In this episode host Bridget Anderson is joined by Clare Fox-Ruhs, Part-Time Assistant Professor at the European University Institute, and Joakim Palme, Professor in the Department of Government at Uppsala University, who have both been dealing with this conceptually and methodologically in their focus on rights, interests and attitudes. They explain what 'institutions' means to the PRIME project and discuss the methodological challenge of comparing countries with such different histories, politics and cultures.


    To learn more about the PRIME Project and read its latest reports visit the project website.


    Bridget Anderson is the co-Principal Investigator on the PRIME project, Professor of Migration, Mobilities and Citizenship at the University of Bristol, and Director of Migration Mobilities Bristol.


    Clare Fox-Ruhs, Part-Time Assistant Professor at the European University Institute.


    Joakim Palme, Professor in the Department of Government at Uppsala University.


    Produced by Migration Mobilities Bristol


    Edited by Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitz

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    25 mins
  • What are PRIME methods for cross-national research?
    May 30 2025

    In this episode we are looking at PRIME's ‘mobility focus countries’ - Croatia, Greece, Italy, Poland and Spain. These countries are often new arrivals’ first experience of Europe. Host Bridget Anderson is joined by Roberto Forin, Head of the Mixed Migration Centre Europe, and Nejra Kadić Meškić, Executive Director of the Centre for Cultural Dialogue in Zagreb, an NGO that works as an implementation partner in the PRIME mobility survey. Together they explain why these mobility focus countries were selected and what data they are collecting, and they explore the challenges of surveying irregular migrants in these fieldsites, including access difficulties and ethical issues.


    To learn more about the PRIME Project and read its latest reports visit the project website.


    Bridget Anderson is the co-Principal Investigator on the PRIME project, Professor of Migration, Mobilities and Citizenship at the University of Bristol, and Director of Migration Mobilities Bristol.


    Roberto Forin is Head of the Mixed Migration Centre Europe.


    Nejra Kadić Meškić is Executive Director of the Centre for Cultural Dialogue, Zagreb.


    Produced by Migration Mobilities Bristol


    Edited by Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitz

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    27 mins
  • The best of a bad job?
    Mar 25 2025

    Host Bridget Anderson is joined by Dr Sandra King-Savic and Dr Marta Kindler to talk about the PRIME project's emerging findings from its work with migrant participants. These two guests have the challenging task of co-ordinating and analysing interviews with migrants of different statuses and nationalities working in agriculture, eldercare, waste management and restaurants across five different European countries. The migrants were asked about their day-to-day efforts of building a life, including experiences of work, family life, access to housing and health and education, and legal help. Sandra and Marta reflect on the key differences between countries, the challenges of access and how immigration status - or the lack of it - shapes daily life.


    Read more about the PRIME project and sign up to the newsletter here.


    Bridget Anderson is the co-Principal Investigator on the PRIME project, Professor of Migration, Mobilities and Citizenship at the University of Bristol, and Director of Migration Mobilities Bristol.


    Sandra King-Savic is a postdoctoral researcher at the East European Institute, University of Zurich.


    Marta Kindler is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Warsaw.


    Produced by Migration Mobilities Bristol


    Edited by Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitz

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    34 mins
  • What impact does PRIME hope to have?
    Jul 12 2024

    In this episode Martin Ruhs, Principal Investigator and Coordinator of the PRIME project, and Stephanie Acker, PRIME’s Communications and Policy Coordinator, discuss the project’s intended impact. It aims to identify policies that would improve the rights and wellbeing of irregular migrants while also benefiting host communities. This means really knowing who the key actors and stakeholders are. Here Martin and Stephanie also reflect on six policy roundtables that the PRIME team held with stakeholders across Europe in the autumn of 2023.

    Read more about the PRIME project and sign up for the PRIME Policy Hub newsletter here.

    Martin Ruhs is Principal Investigator and Coordinator of the PRIME project, Professor of Migrations Studies and Deputy Director of the Migration Policy Centre at the European University Institute.

    Stephanie Acker is Communications and Policy Coordinator for the PRIME project, and Research Associate at the Migration Policy Centreat the European University Institute.

    This podcast was recorded at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, in January 2024.


    Produced by Migration Mobilities Bristol


    Edited by Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitz

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    17 mins
  • Why does PRIME matter?
    Apr 17 2024

    The PRIME Podcast kicks off with our Principal Investigators, Professor Martin Ruhs and Professor Bridget Anderson, discussing why this research project is important, the challenges they have faced during its first year and what they are most looking forward to. The conditions of irregular migrants vary dramatically across Europe - how do 'national institutions' influence these conditions? What can we learn by considering the common interests between migrants and citizens, as well as the tensions in policy-making between immigration controls and protecting fundamental rights? How does a research project like PRIME engage in policy debates and policy-making processes? And how do you make the most of a cross-disciplinary team of 24 people spread across seven countries?!


    Read more about the PRIME project and sign up to the newsletter here.


    Martin Ruhs is co-Principal Investigator and Coordinator of the PRIME project, Professor and Deputy Director of the Migration Policy Centre at the European University Institute in Florence.


    Bridget Anderson is the co-Principal Investigator on the PRIME project, Professor of Migration, Mobilities and Citizenship at the University of Bristol, and Director of Migration Mobilities Bristol.


    Produced by Migration Mobilities Bristol


    Edited by Melissa FitzGerald @melissafitz

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    33 mins