Edinburgh Napier University

  This thesis critically examines the multiple mobilities and travel experiences of the Madeiran community that decided to migrate to the Channel Island of Jersey, most during the 1990’s. The thesis explores: reasons for their move to the island; the challenges of their settlement; the links they maintain with the homeland. It specifically analyses the Madeiran’s’ experiences in Jersey and whether they desire to return to the homeland in the future.

The theoretical discussion explores the concept of diaspora, its historical development, and the connections between diasporas, mobilities and migration movements. Themes related to diaspora tourism, labour mobilities and family migration are also discussed, to develop a critical standing about contemporary mobilities and the importance of transnationalism. Connections between diaspora tourism and the loyalty to the homeland are also explored.

The methodology explains why I have opted for a qualitative research study and my interest in the nature of the participants’ experiences and my focus on understanding their social world. I conducted 28 in-depth semi-structured interviews in Jersey and in Madeira. The findings show that these migrants came to Jersey when they were young and came through curiosity, a sense of adventure and the possibility of improving their living standards. The appeal of Jersey lay in the job opportunities and the higher salaries, while the push factors of Madeira were the less developed economy and the limited career prospects. Most Madeirans in Jersey work in the hospitality, tourism, and agriculture industries.

The focus of this study on small island-to-island migration is a relatively neglected topic. Whereas mobilities studies have tended to focus on the highly skilled and more affluent groups of migrants, the discussion explores the mobilities and travel habits gained by a lower income group and contributes to the understanding of the mobility paradigm, by bringing attention to the less understood individual decisions made by citizens who wish to migrate. A framework is developed that explains how their lifestyle mobilities have changed and the travel trends that have emerged with their move to Jersey, influenced by their attachment to the homeland and their family relations. A research agenda on islandto-island migration mobilities is proposed.