Theoretical framework for the study of the two-way relationship between migration and subjective well-being

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the relevant theoretical frameworks of wellbeing and migration and the links between the two concepts. The article is part of the theoretical preparatory work for the MIGWELL project. We argue that subjective well-being should be a key concept in migration research, because increasing it at the individual level is a universal human desire. From this perspective, migration – if it is truly voluntary – may be a tool to reach the desired outcome of increasing well-being. In general, micro-level approaches are more suitable for linking subjective well-being and migration. In particular, the “new economics and sociology of migration”, the “network theory” and the “capabilities approach” offer the implicit or explicit possibility to do so. Regarding well-being, we apply a hybrid approach, inspired by both the OECD and the WeD concepts. Finally, in this paper we propose a research design that may be suitable (with some limitations) to capture the two-way relationship between the two concepts: the impact of subjective well-being on migration intention and the effect of migration on subjective well-being.