Living on the Margins

Alice Bloch is Professor of Sociology, University of Manchester. She is also a co-author of Sans Papiers: The social and economic lives of young undocumented migrants, 2014 and Race, Multiculture and Social Policy, 2013.Sonia McKay is Professor of European Socio-Legal Studies, University of the West of England. She is a co-author of Undocumented Workers’ Transitions, 2011.

• Introduction;Policy, law and rights;Migration: Motives, journey and status mobility;Undocumented migrants living and working in London;Ethnic enclave entrepreneurs;Social networks and social lives;The consequences of being undocumented;Grasping life on the margins.

"Alice Bloch and Sonia McKay not only show the challenges faced by those living without documentation, but also explore current legislation and policies that are shaping these experiences." LSE Review of Books "Bloch and McKay provide a thorough-going account of...the undocumented migrant." Chartist "A very welcome contribution in a context where immigrants are seen as scapegoats for unemployment and weakening social cohesion." Asian and Pacific Migration Journal "This is a fascinating and accessible account of the everyday lives of undocumented migrants. Drawing on high quality empirical research it provides a compelling narrative of their experiences and how they navigate the pressures of living on the margins of society." John Solomos, University of Warwick "Based on lengthy interviews with workers and employers from China, Turkey, and Bangladesh, the book documents in tragic detail the penalties of 'illegality' for undocumented migrants living and working in London during an era of global economic downturn. Essential and timely." Jacqueline Maria Hagan, University of North Carolina, USA