Newsletter of ISA (International sociological association) – Research Committee on sociology of migration, Spring 2014. 

Time has almost come for me to step down as the President of RC 31 after serving two terms. While I am writing these words, we are in the process of electing the new board and officials of our Research Committee.

With more than 200 members, we are one of the largest research committee of ISA.  More than 50 countries are represented, spread unequally over the 5 continents. We were very well represented in the ISA World Congress in Gothenburg in 2010 and in the Buenos Aires Forum in 2012. I am sure that many of us will travel to Yokohama in July. We again have a newsletter and we have started to modernize the statutes, which really needed updating. I have tried to chair this board in total transparency by informing and consulting the board whenever a decision had to be taken.

I am very pleased with our achievements over the past four years. Our RC committee is livelier and stronger than ever in the past. But we really need that strength in order to deal with the numerous intellectual challenges raised by the globalisation and diversification of migration patterns and patterns of immigrant incorporation. I trust that we will continue to grow and to diversify our membership under the new board and President.

I would like to thank you all for you support. A special ‘thank you’ goes to David Bartram. Not only has he been the newsletter editor, he has also been the Programme Coordinator for the Buenos Aires forum and for the upcoming Yokohama ISA World Congress, and he has prepared the revision of the statutes. I would also like to thank all the other members who have always responded when I was calling on them for one reason or another.

I am now asking good-bye as the President of RC 31, but I will remain active in our research committee and I really look forward to see you again soon.