Ackers, Louise, and Byrony Gill. Moving People and Knowledge: Scientific Mobility in an Enlarging European Union.

• Author: Uneke, Okori A.
• Position: Book review

Ackers, Louise, and Byrony Gill. Moving People and Knowledge: Scientific Mobility in an Enlarging European Union. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2008. 273 pages. Cloth, $125.00.

Moving People and Knowledge examines the processes and dynamics of East-West European migration of highly skilled scientists. Specifically, the authors focus on the migration of Polish and Bulgarian researchers to and from the United Kingdom and Germany. Using in-depth literature reviews, Ackers and Gill conducted surveys of Polish and Bulgarian researchers who are, or have been, based in Germany or the UK, generating a total of 284 responses. These surveys are supplemented by 89 personal, semi-structured interviews with migrant scientists in the four locations (p. 244). The information gathered from these sources allow the authors to address the following key questions: What are the characteristics of migrants? What motivates and shapes mobility? How long are they moving? How frequently are they moving? Are there return migrations? What relationships exist between these forms of human mobility and the dissemination of scientific knowledge and expertise? Would scientists continue to engage productively in scientific research in the migration originating countries and would migration destination countries suffer as a result? The empirical data and analysis offered in this study provide insights into personal and professional motivations for highly skilled science migration as well as how relationships, networks, and infrastructure impact the decision to move. Using a qualitative approach, Ackers and Gill present an analysis of personal stories of migrant researchers along with a macro-level discussion of the experience of receiving and sending countries and a perspective on the implications of future European policies on scientific development and mobility.

The book comprises an Introduction (Chapter 1) and a broad two-part segment: Part I (Chapters 2-6) is concerned with 'Understanding Migration Behavior and Patterns,' while Part II (Chapters 7-9) focuses on 'Assessing the Impact of Scientific Mobility on Receiving and Sending Countries.' Analysis of the duration and flow of scientific mobility point to the prevalence of repeat and shuttle moves among Polish and Bulgarian researchers, designed to sustain their scientific productivity and support their livelihood. Short-term mobility is a reflection of the nature of employment positions available in...