Family and Generations

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The Migration Institute of Finland is at the forefront of research on transnational families and the ways in which migration, and particularly cross-border mobility, reshapes intimate relationships, family life and care across borders. Our research generates new knowledge on the consequences of involuntary family separation, demonstrating how immigration regimes and mobility restrictions shape the everyday security, wellbeing and future prospects of migrants and their family members. Through our research on family reunification policies and marriage migration, we critically examine how states define, regulate and evaluate family relationships. 

A life-course perspective is central to our research. We investigate how migration and transnationalism shape experiences, opportunities and vulnerabilities across generations, while also creating spaces for agency, resilience and empowerment. Our work on young people advances understanding of how migration intersects with social change, uncertainty and future-making. By examining both present-day challenges and long-term aspirations, we contribute to debates on inclusion, belonging, and social participation. 

We are also advancing research on migration and ageing, an area that remains comparatively underexplored despite its growing societal significance. By investigating migration experiences across the life course, we provide novel insights into how mobility, family relations and transnational connections shape wellbeing, care, and identities from youth to old age. 

Keywords: older migrants, family reunification, marriage migration, unaccompanied minors, students, childhood, youth, polycrisis, heritage, migrant generations, menopause, temporalities

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