"The spirit of Europe" differential migration, labour and logistification

This chapter uses specific developments that occurred in Germany after the arrivals of hundreds of thousands of refugees in 2015 to introduce the concept of logistification as an analytical tool for migration studies. The title alludes to an epistemic perspective on logistics introduced in a German crime novel; the concept of logistification, based on this epistemic perspective, helps to articulate research findings on the labour market integration of refugees after 2015. The chapter draws from the results of fieldwork conducted as part of a 2016 research project in Germany investigating how the massive refugee movement across Europe, which is said to have changed Germany and the rest of Europe, affected German policies. Logistification offers a critical perspective on these events; by developing the concept of “differential migration”, the chapter discusses how the “logistical view” might enable new approaches to migration research. It helps us to better understand the emergent new quality of migration and mobility as contested social fields.