Gabriel Echeverría - Towards a Systemic Theory of Irregular Migration: Explaining Ecuadorian Irregular Migration in Amsterdam and Madrid

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The content of this book is the result of a journey which lasted 5 years. As in all journeys, there were times of enchantment and disenchantment, inspiration and frustration, curiosity and tedium, exaltation and discourage. All in all, they were years of privilege, in which I was able to develop, with absolute freedom, an original research project on a subject that is especially meaningful to me.

The research work was made possible thanks to the generous contribution of the FPU Scholarship of the Ministry of Education of Spain and to the support of three institutions, the Complutense University of Madrid, the Instituto Universitario de Investigacin Ortega y Gasset and the University of Trento.

The support, help and suggestions of many people have been crucial for the accomplishment of this work. First of all, I would like to thank all the migrants who participated in the research project in Amsterdam and Madrid. Their kindness and generosity were for me a great gift and an example. In particular, I would like to thank Sylvana Cabezas, Ramiro Palacions and their families. They opened me the door to the Ecuadorian migrants world in Amsterdam and welcomed me as a son. Without their help, this research work would have been impossible. I would also like to thank Lulu Cabezas, Malki, usta and aupac for having hosted me in their house and made me feel at home.

Special thanks to my two doctoral supervisors, Prof. Joaqun Arango and Prof. Giuseppe Sciortino. Their support, orientation and advise were the cornerstone at the base of this project.

I would like to thank Prof. Godfried Engbersen for having hosted me at the Department of Sociology of the Erasmus University of Rotterdam during my research stay in the Netherlands. Thanks also to Willem Schinkel, Arjen Leerkes, Dennis Broeders and all members of the Department for their help and suggestions. A special thanks to Masja Van Meeteren.

The work to transform the doctoral thesis into a book was possible thanks to the support and encouragement of the Centre for International Cooperation in Trento.

Thanks also to the IMISCOE Editorial Committee for selecting my proposal for the IMISCOE Springer Competitive Call for Book Proposals and to Anna Triandafyllidou for her support. Many thanks to Evelien Bakker, Bernadette Deelen-Mans and Alexandre James at Springer and, of course, to the two anonymous reviewers, whose constructive and detailed feedback helped to refine the overall argument of the book.

I had the privilege to discuss parts of this work with a number of scholars and researchers. Thanks to Claudia Finotelli, Paolo Boccagni, Sandro Mezzadra, Sbastien Chauvin, Nicholas De Genova, MariaCaterina La Barbera, Sarah Spencer, Refugio Chvez and Rosa Aparicio.

A great part of the sorrows and joys of this journey was shared with my doctorate colleagues. Thanks to Adriana, Aurelis, Carolina, Elisabeth, Inara, Damin and Joaqun. A special thanks to Elena with whom I spent endless hours at the library and on the phone.

This book would not have been possible without the generous and expert help of Irene Diamond who meticulously reviewed the English of each page.

During these years, three people who had a crucial influence on my life and on the ideas here discussed passed away. I would like to remember my grandfather, Bolvar Echeverra Paredes; my uncle, Bolvar Echeverra Andrade; and Gabriele Viliani.

It is not necessary, unless for the pleasure to do it, to mention the gratitude to my dear families in Ecuador and Italy. A big thanks to my parents. If it is true that in order to have a pleasant life it is important to choose them well, I recognize myself this merit. All my love to my sisters and brothers, Maria Chiara, Francisca and Toms. Infinite gratitude to Adriano and Natalia.