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The increasing interest in different types of mobility patterns (circular and return migrations) and in the policies and programs developed by national and international institutions and civil actors as well, raise significant conceptual and methodological challenges. The “transnational” theoretical perspective, jointly with the concept of “migratory circulation”, offers important theoretical and methodological tools in order to explain these dynamics, their configurations and the socio-spatial logics, towards integral, pluri-dimensional and multi-local approaches. Therefore, we urge to take into consideration both the labour migration and “new” forms of mobility (individual/collective) associated to globalization processes and to historical, political and cultural specific patterns.

Moreover, it is important to pay attention to the context provoked by the most recent economic crisis (2008-09), with significant effects on the labour migration in Europe and EE.UU, the mobility strategies and the dynamics of the interregional migrations. In this context, the circular mobility patterns and the return phenomenon, as well as the dynamics of remigration and reintegration in the “origin country”, are more and more relevant for the political agenda at both regional and international level; whereas they constitute a fast growing research topic in the international and academic debate on the subject of mobility and migrations.

From this holistic overview regarding the migratory complexity, the Authonomous University of Barcelona (Gedime-CER Migracions) launches the Euroamerican Network on Return Migration and Circularity. The network aims to stimulate an academic environment and to contribute to the theoretical and methodological debate on the topic. At the same time, it pretends to reinforce the bidirectional exchange of experiences, knowledge and practice between academia and organizations involved in the formulation, management and implementation of programs and policies linked to return and circularity.