Maarja Saar

Maarja Saar is an Associate Professor at Mid Sweden University's Department of Psychology and Social Work (PSO). Her research focuses on migration studies, social protection policies, and identity negotiations within post-Soviet and EU contexts.

• Research spans labor market integration, welfare deservingness, and transnational social contracts
• Key publications analyze Estonian migration patterns, neoliberalism in social work, and EU border negotiating
• Collaborates with scholars like F. Fröhlig, A. Runfors, and K. Aavik

Her 2023 work on East-West mobility emphasizes capital theory in migration decisions. Earlier studies explore topics such as benefit tourism discourses, lifestyle migration applicability, and psycho-social wellbeing frameworks. Current research integrates qualitative analysis with theoretical developments in migration sociology and social policy.

While no scientific awards are documented in this profile, her collaborative publications demonstrate engagement with critical migration and welfare debates across Nordic and Baltic contexts. She maintains active research in transnational identity formation and EU social security challenges.