Acknowledgements1. Introduction2. Mapping the FieldPhases of EU mobility: a timelineZooming in on the Spanish caseTaking on a biographical perspective3. Biographical Case StudiesAdam SanchezMaría NavarroMateo LópezWhere to go from here?4. Time to go?‘Going abroad’ in the context of one’s academic trainingWithstanding a collective mood of demoralisationTrying to overcome a prolonged period of dependency and stagnationTrying to cope with or escape from a trajectory of sufferingIn search of professional recognition and adequate payAcquiring foreign language skills in order to gain a competitive advantage5. On Studying and Working AbroadExchange programmes as pathways into a long-term stayAlternatives to wage labour‘Unskilled’ labour?Skilled labourVoluntary work6. A Web of Social RelationshipsOn working to maintain personal ties to SpainThe emergence of new social relationships in the receiving societySpaces of transitionPerceived barriers in everyday interactions7. Established-Outsider Relations in Times of BrexitThe case of DiegoLooking beyond the single caseA note on the recent political developments8. An Uneasy HomecomingReturning as an answer to what?Moving ‘back’: expectations vs. reality9. ConclusionA brief overview of my findingsAddressing different audiencesLooking back and looking ahead10. Methodological AppendixA note on biographical researchThe autobiographical narrative interview and procedures of sequential analysisThe history of my field researchData overviewConsent formNotesReferencesIndexLife histories and experiences of Spanish migrantsSince the beginning of the economic crisis of 2008, Spain, like other Southern European countries, has witnessed a mass departure of mostly young people looking for opportunities abroad. Leaving Spain is based on 58 autobiographical narrative interviews with recent Spanish migrants who went to the UK and Germany, and sometimes returned. By presenting a combination of in-depth case studies and comparative analyses, the author demonstrates the potential of biographical research and narrative analysis in studying contemporary Europe, including its overlapping crises. The scope of the sociological study is not limited to examining how those who left Spain experienced single phases of their migration. Instead, it focuses on the significance of migration projects in the context of their life histories and how they make sense of these experiences in retrospect.This book will not only be of great interest to social scientists and students in different disciplines and interdisciplinary studies such as sociology, anthropology, human geography, European studies, education, and social work, but also to professionals, European and national policy makers, and those interested in learning more about migrants’ experiences, perspectives, and (often invisible) contributions.Since the beginning of the economic crisis of 2008, Spain, like other Southern European countries, has witnessed a mass departure of mostly young people looking for opportunities abroad. Leaving Spain is based on 58 autobiographical narrative interviews with recent Spanish migrants who went to the UK and Germany, and sometimes returned. By presenting a combination of in-depth case studies and comparative analyses, the author demonstrates the potential of biographical research and narrative analysis in studying contemporary Europe, including its overlapping crises. The scope of the sociological study is not limited to examining how those who left Spain experienced single phases of their migration. Instead, it focuses on the significance of migration projects in the context of their life histories and how they make sense of these experiences in retrospect.This book will not only be of great interest to social scientists and students in different disciplines and interdisciplinary studies such as sociology, anthropology, human geography, European studies, education, and social work, but also to professionals, European and national policy makers, and those interested in learning more about migrants’ experiences, perspectives, and (often invisible) contributions.