SOCIAL NETWORKS AND THE ASYLUM CYCLE - THE CASE OF IRANIANS IN THE NETHERLANDS

This paper examines the traditional distinction between the migration of refugees and labor migrants in the context of Iranian asylum seeker s in the Netherlands. The empirical strategy adopted is to apply a fra mework designed specifically to explain labor migration to the case of asylum migration, and the social networks approach is identified as t he most appropriate. This paper examines the role of social networks t hrough the asylum cycle, focusing on the decision to migrate, the choi ce of destination, and adaptation in the host society. The key conclus ion is that the validity of the distinction between refugee and labor migration varies through the asylum cycle even for the same individual .