Managing relationships in peripatetic careers: Scientific mobility in the european union

Synopsis This paper seeks to add to our understanding of the concept of “tied migration” through a grounded and essentially qualitative analysis of the experiences of highly skilled scientists moving within the European Union (EU). The propensity of the highly skilled to move and the consequences of this for individuals and their families vary significantly between different employment sectors. Progression in scientific careers demands a very high level of international mobility particularly in some national contexts. Whilst research suggests that young, single, women are at least as mobile as their male counterparts, levels of mobility amongst women scientists decline at doctoral and postdoctoral level. Locating the research findings within existing literature on “tied movers,” the paper considers the nature and impact of partnering on the career decision making of male and female scientists. It concludes that the prevalence of dual science career couple situations (defined as situations in which both partners in a couple are employed in scientific research) reflects high levels of mobility and generates the kinds of tensions which result in the tendency of women to “exit” from science careers and/or fail to progress. The findings reported upon in this paper confirm recent work on dual-career situations in noting the persistence of “trailing” irrespective of the skill level of the female partner. It does, however, draw out some new issues. Firstly, the importance of considering the impact of mobility on the progression of trailing partners as opposed to simply engagement or salary. Secondly, in contradiction to recent work, the findings suggests that the impact of partnering (in comparison with parenting) has been underestimated when considering the mobility and career decision making of women in dual-career relationships. Although the paper is firmly grounded in the experiences of scientists, recent trends in European labour markets suggest that the pressure to attain international experience is beginning to shape career trajectories in many other employment sectors.