Transnational Migration, Citizenship and the Circulation of Rights and Responsibilities (TRANSMIC)

The challenges of double nationality for circular migration: The examples of Spain and Sri Lanka

(ESR 8; University of Liège)

This project investigates the phenomenon of double nationality, including its functions and the challenges and opportunities it entails for individuals and states from a legal perspective. Double nationality allows to maintain legal and political links with two countries, thereby facilitating circular migration of the individuals concerned. While the current legal framework in relation to acquisition and loss of nationality has been primarily shaped on the basis of permanent migration (mainly of workers), circular migration may require another legal arrangement. In order to determine whether and which changes are needed, two case studies will be undertaken : the first one will focus on Spain and the second on Sri Lanka. This research project analyses and evaluates these special constructions of dual nationality, and specifies their advantages in comparison of normal cases of dual or multiple nationality. Starting from the two case studies, lessons will be drawn both for EU Member States and for third countries with a large emigration flow. More fundamentally, the research will contribute to a better understanding of how membership to nation states may be defined in an age of increasing mobility. The research will concentrate on nationality law as well as migration law on the national, European and international level.

 

Researcher: Luuk van der Baaren  (profile page)

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Luuk van der Baaren (1990) is a Ph.D researcher at the University of Liège, Faculty of Law. His Ph.D project is set within the framework of the TRANSMIC Marie Curie ITN and is supervised by prof. dr. Patrick Wautelet, with co-supervision by prof. dr. G.R. de Groot (Maastricht University). The project sees on multiple nationality and its interplay with circular migration. Besides that, Luuk is attached to the Ius Commune Research School.
In 2014, Luuk obtained his LL.M degree in Dutch Law with honours at Maastricht Universty, where he conducted comparative legal research the topic of citizenship and residence by investment within the European Union for his master thesis. He acquired research experience as a student assistant at the Department of Public Law and as participant at the Marble Research Based Learning for Excellence project on empirical legal research. In addition, he was involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities. This included participation in the Maastricht University Premium Honours Programma and the National Student Parliament 2013.