Immobility in Times of Crisis: The Case of Greece

Greece has been the Eurozone country worst hit by the economic crisis of the last five years. What have been the consequences of this crisis on the mobility of Greek citizens compared to the immediate and more distant past? The paper attempts a systematic gathering of migration data to gauge the size of outward movement and the socioeconomic characteristics of recent migrants. We conclude, contrary to the expectations of migration theory, that outward migration has been limited compared to the size of the economic shock, that it concerns the most dynamic parts of the population as opposed to those most hit by the crisis and that it has only partly followed South-North migratory patterns of the past (and without direct interference of pre-existing formal networks). Secondly, we explore elite responses in Greece to outward migration. What are the interpretative frames used and the policy responses? We find that the official discourse has been structured around the pro-/anti- Memorandum cleavage that has recently shaped Greek politics and disassociated from the heated issue of the integration of third-country nationals. We also find an official-policy lacuna with regard to recent migrants.