A crisis-driven migration? Aspirations and experiences of the post-2008 South European migrants in London

Since the 1990s young South Europeans have been attracted to London by the dynamic labourmarket and cultural radiance of the city, but also pushed by unfavourable conditions in thelabour markets of their origin countries. Subsequently, the Eurozone crisis, austerity politicsand their socio-political consequences have markedly intensified migration rates. But did theyalso signify a rupture in terms of the motivations, experiences and aspirations of the migrants?Drawing on in-depth interviews with Greek, Italian and Spanish migrants of different educa-tional levels, wefind that post-materialist motivations and pro-migration dispositions prevailamong the“crisis-migrants”. Migration is seen and experienced as a step forward, rather thana disruptive force, signalling a positive message in defence of intra-EU free mobility. Yet attimes of neoliberal deregulation and economic and political uncertainty, aspirations for socio-economic stability and settlement are also of growing importance, questioning mobility as thenormative way of contemporary life.