Paperback, 184 pages
Paralela 45 Editors, January 2007
ISBN 978-973-697-963-7
You can order the book from the Romanian Cultural Centre in London for £5.99 (p&p included, UK only). Please send a cheque made out to ‘The Romanian Cultural Centre’ at the following address: Romanian Cultural Centre, 54-62 Regent Street, London W1B 5RE ; The book will be sent to the address provided by you, using Royal Mail 1st class services. Please allow a maximum of 21 days from the receipt of the cheque for the processing of the order.
This book is the result of the international experience accumulated by Alexandra Delcea during her university studies in Paris and London, together with a research project started during her Master studies under the supervision of Professor Christian Dustmann at University College London. The author also received valuable advice and guidance from Professor Abhinay Muthoo at the University of Essex and Professor Dumitru Miron at the Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest .
The book has a pioneering role in surveying the existing theoretical and empirical literature on economics with regards to the motives to remit, and the evidence of the impact of remittances on the home country’s economy. Remittances from international migrants have increased substantially over the past three decades. It has become essential that their huge potential for economic and social development is used. In order to adopt measures to increase their flow through formal channels and to stimulate their investment in productive activities, one must understand the motives behind remittances and learn from the experience of other countries.
“This study provides a compelling, interesting and insightful piece, which should inform policy-makers and researchers of the hot topic areas of migration, in general, and of Romania, in particular. [...] This is an excellent piece of work on what is to become an even more important subject as labour markets across the globe become more integrated, and the march of globalisation continues. [...] This book should be of interest not only to students of this subject, but also to policy-makers in this area.” Prof Abhinay Muthoo
“Alexandra Delcea ’s book is the first of its kind written by a Romanian. It takes a practical view, looking at various realities of the phenomenon of migration with a multi-disciplinary approach; it focuses on the issue of remittances and their impact on the home economy. [...] The view this study takes on remittances is comprehensive and broad. [...]. This book constitutes an essential starting point for research and data collection in Romania .” Prof Dumitru Miron
The publication of this book, funded by the Ratiu Foundation UK, is aimed to be the first stage of a larger and more detailed investigation of remittances to Romania . Part of this study was presented in the Culture Power Series of talks organised at the Romanian Cultural Centre in London .
The book was launched in Romania, in the Great Hall of the Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, on Monday 29 January 2007.
The book launch was organised by the Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest (Faculty of International Economic Relations) together with the Ratiu Foundation UK . At the event were present representatives of the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Labour, Social Solidarity and Family, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Institute of Romania, the Romanian Institute of Diplomacy, the International Organisation for Migration, and the Academy of Economic Studies, together with academics, members of the media, and students.
On this occasion, the book was analysed and presented to the audience by Prof Dumitru Miron, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Education and Research, vice-chancellor of the Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest . Prof Miron has underlined the quality of the research that went into the book, and the importance of the recommendations proposed by the author. Ms Cristina Gheorghe Tranca, Chief of the International Organization for Migration in Romania has shown, in the following address, that the several billions of Euros that enter Romania annually as remittances must be managed through a win-win strategy from which both the migrants and the State and society will benefit equally. Also, in a message from Ms Nicoleta Andreescu, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Labour, Social Solidarity and Family, the point was made that remittances have an incredible potential, the sum of these funds being second, internationally, only to Direct Foreign Investments, and in advance of Official Development Assistance.
