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In 2004 eight Central and East European countries joined the European Union (EU), and the UK, as one of the few existing EU members that opened its labour market to the nationals of these new members, attracted a large number of migrants from these countries. As EU citizens, these migrants were free from immigration controls and were thus able to move freely between the UK and Central/Eastern Europe. In addition, the relative proximity and affordable transportation within Europe also contributed to their (hyper)mobility. A majority of existing research on post-accession migration focuses on the question whether these migrants are a burden on the British welfare state. Alternatively, another stream in the academic literature tends to paint a rather positive picture of Central and East European (CEE) migrants as highly mobile individuals, thus giving rise to a celebratory image of their ability to negotiate their problems and risks transnationally. Focusing on issues around care, in this presentation I aim to show how, in practice, transnational negotiations and arrangements amongst CEE migrants are far more complex and uneven. The paper is based on ethnographic research conducted over 12 months in 2012 with Czech- and Slovak-speaking migrants living in Glasgow who came to the city after 2004 when their respective countries joined the EU. I will discuss various empirical cases of transnational care arrangements based on these migrants' everyday experiences. By doing so, I will revisit concepts of 'social security' and 'care' with regard to migration.

This paper focuses on the role that ethnicity played in the provision of support and services for post-accession migrants living in Glasgow, based on intensive ethnographic fieldwork conducted throughout 2012 with Czech- and Slovak-speaking migrants living in the city. It is based on the PhD research project ‘Everyday negotiations of in/securities and risks: an ethnographic study amongst Czech- and Slovak-speaking migrants in Glasgow’ which was co-funded by the ESRC and Glasgow City Council. The paper argues that using ethnicity as a straightforward, ‘naturally existing’ category and making it a requirement for individuals’ access to certain services has problematic implications for affected migrants as well as service providers and policy-makers.

Introduction to the Special Issue: The 1951 UN Refugee Convention -60 Years On.