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This article examines the experiences in terms of belonging and sense of place among young Romanian immigrants who came to Spain in search of opportunities for professional development. The research detects and analyses the process of mobility, the search for job opportunities and the necessity of working below one's level of training or education, which induces young people to re-construct a new and complex identity. By means of the qualitative method of in-depth interviews, the analysis highlights the role that emotions play in young peoples' discourse while underscoring the ability of the interviewees in re-creating their identity and building a place even during the midst of a turbulent and insecure process. The conclusions signal the creation of a new and multiple identity which is complex and fluid and specific to persons on the move. (Contains 6 notes.)

This paper explores the (re)interpretation of migration networks on the move following the European Union (EU) enlargement towards eastern Europe, which affected people's mobility in time–space. The paper poses two questions: are one or more migration networks engaged in this mobility? Is it possible to rethink migration networks in the context of mobility? Drawing on 60 in‐depth interviews with Romanians in Spain, my novel argument is that even while on they move people construct dynamic and multifaceted networks situated between encounter and difference that transcend their distinctive features and complement each other: 'associative networks' grouped around migrant associations; 'professional networks' articulated around the institutions that represent Romania in Spain; and 'global networks of encounter' that include highly mobile young people. The conclusions emphasize that the notion of migration networks on the move can be rethought by taking a transformative approach that overcomes differences and seeks interconnective synergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contributes to the innovative literature on human mobility, highlighting the sense of place linked to transient mobility among people who live on an island. Drawing on 40 in-depth interviews with Romanians living in the Canary Islands, this paper introduces the concept of a 'floating sense of place' and advances understandings on how people of different generations use their experiences of mobility in time and space to construct and interpret their sense of place on the move. How is floating sense of place created and how does mobility affect the sense of belonging of people who live transiently on an island? I highlight that the socio-economic circumstances of mobile people together with the particular conditions of the island – especially the presence of the ocean – create corporeal and sensorial predispositions that contribute to the creation of the 'floating sense of place'. I argue that mobility articulates multiple practices and imaginaries that connect people with the ocean – as both a real and symbolic element. In turn, this helps them bond with various places in their transitory movement, and influences the construction of a floating sense of place: a) living in a floating 'paradise' and moving for work or business; b) in-between floating; and c) on-the-move floating: between drift and search of place and future aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the cross-border mobility practices of eastern European immigrants across and within European Union (EU) borders, taking into account the changes in the patterns of the EU border regime, which have affected mobility in the last 20 years. Drawing on empirical research with references to in-depth qualitative interviews of eastern immigrants in Spain, this article highlights the ways in which the emerging models of cross-border mobility management are producing new geographies of the EU border. On the one hand,(re)borderingmakes human mobility difficult, while, on the other hand,networked borderingfacilitates mobility. The conclusions confirm that the flexibility of the European border allows the mobility of people, and also indicate that, while crossing borders, eastern Europeans learn about mobility and practice it as citizens of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper looks into the complex interplay of identity (re)construction as conducted by Romanian immigrants to Spain within the context of the enlargement of the European Union towards Eastern Europe. By using qualitative research techniques, the paper attempts to highlight how the migration process, which is closely tied to border dynamics and European expansion occurring in stages from 1990 to the present, has influenced the (re)construction of identity and the change of discourse among immigrants. As part of the analysis, the study looks into the factors that contribute to the initial loss of the components of identity, identity reconstruction, and the types of identity emerging from the process of mobility. Finally, the paper examines to what extent immigrants' temporary work movements influence the nature of identity construction. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how human global mobility is linked to a sense of home and belonging and outlines ways in which European Union (EU) enlargement could contribute to broader debates about migration, both empirically and theoretically. To accomplish this aim, I use the context of Romanian migration to Spain. Since EU enlargement in 2007, Spain has emerged as a major destination for Romanian migrants. The main argument of the paper is that transformations in the EU over the past 20 years through its open border policy have changed migrant workers into EU movers, and this change affects people's perceptions about sense of home. This analysis is prompted by a qualitative and narrative turn in migration studies, and an emphasis on new mobility pathways in accounting for the embodied dimensions of migration. Key to the paper is an analysis of how people can maintain a sense of home while being on the move. It attempts to demonstrate that migrants' experiences of belonging in their host country may vary greatly depending on the time of movement, the politics of EU borders, the nature of mobility and personal and individual circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the process of understanding the mobility of Romanian citizens in Spain. The analysis proposes three levels of analysis in order to find answers to three research questions: how the immigrants negotiate their mobility; what their experiences of mobility are; and how they understand this process. This study was carried out using the qualitative method of in-depth interviews, which were conducted both at origin and at destination. The analysis is organized into three levels: negotiation is linked to practical considerations; mobility experiences are accompanied by partial return; and understanding of the migration process is reflected in the sense of flexible identity. The levels of analysis interact and help find ways to assimilate mobility and the creation of the mobile citizen in the European framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the mobility of Romanian immigrants within Spain. It examines the experiences of Romanians and their understanding of their process of mobility and return as Europeans with a right to free circulation but limited working rights in the enlarged European Union (EU). It suggests that migrants may have different perceptions on place and mobility.

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