Migration and Intergenerational Strategies for Social Mobility: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges

The aim of this article is to propose a theoretical framework and methodological proposal based on an intergenerational perspective for the study of geographic and social mobility strategies of migrants. We analyse the way transnational families negotiate their social mobility strategies in accordance with the family unit (fathers, mothers, elder children, younger children…), as well as their position in the migration process (migrating as pioneers, staying behind, etc.), assessing the actions transnational families undertake over time and space in order to climb the social ladder. The methodology strategy is based on a qualitative study (biographical narrative), multi-situated ethnography (carried out in Spain and in Ecuador), and longitudinal fieldwork. The article aims to highlight the role not only of migrants, but also that of the family members that are left behind, as agents of social mobility strategies within the transnational space