Ghanaian migrant youth: reasons for migration never to return
In an increasingly globalised world, intercontinental migration has become a cultural norm and an aspiration amongst the youth of Sub-Saharan Africa. Recent research published in Journal of Youth Studies examined a group of pre-migrant Ghanaian undergraduates’ intent on entering the diaspora. Dako-Gyeke studies key motivators for migration, popular destinations and challenges facing return migrants. Why do many migrants plan to leave their homeland permanently and what support is there for those who come home?
Migration for many young Africans is an opportunity to broaden horizons, see the world, to learn new cultures and languages. Above all, migration provides a stab at enhanced education and employment opportunities and an escape from unemployment and poverty faced by a lot of young people in Ghana. Many migrant workers however are disillusioned in their dreams of a better life, experiencing poor working conditions, low earnings and even abuse. What happens when a migrant’s quest for self-discovery ends badly? Little is known about why migrants return – is it a sign of failure? A series of qualitative focus groups were held among participants to identify goals for migration, inextricably linked to why they might return.
The majority of participants’ aims centred on career, education and economic progression, some to support themselves and extended family back home. Britain, Canada and the US emerged as the most popular migration destinations. Strong educational and economic infrastructure and lesser language barriers were attractive to migrants seeking permanent integration into a society. Permanent migration has a certain finality, but the decision is not always entirely the migrant’s own. Many are financed by extended family, after being selected as the best contender for success, earning good money and improving quality of life for the whole family. If migrants come home, they have failed and may bear the brunt of anger, disappointment and stigmatisation within the community. Others theorise that return does not represent failure, but a fulfilled goal of a well-paid job and sufficient savings for a better future in the country of origin.
Either way, there is a strong flow of African migrants to Europe and America, boosting the lacking labour force. Many have positive experiences, whilst others are unable to meet their expectations for legal and decent employment. The latter may be left even more vulnerable and poorly off, with no support from society and family. For these, the author calls for government policies and societal support for reintegration: “it is essential for other stakeholders like social workers and immigration officers to provide counseling and education aimed at protecting the personal, social and psychological wellbeing of return migrants.”
NOTE TO JOURNALISTS
Please reference the article as “We Never Plan to Return Home: Voices of Pre-Migrant Ghanaian Youth”, by Mavis Dako-Gyeke, Journal of Youth Studies, published by Routledge, Taylor & Francis.
Read the full article online: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13676261.2015.1059929
For more information please contact:
Becca Bray
Routledge Sociology Journals
Rebecca.bray@tandf.co.uk
@Routledge_Socio
-----------------------------------------
About Taylor & Francis Group
-----------------------------------------
Taylor & Francis Group partners with researchers, scholarly societies, universities and libraries worldwide to bring knowledge to life. As one of the world’s leading publishers of scholarly journals, books, ebooks and reference works our content spans all areas of Humanities, Social Sciences, Behavioural Sciences, Science, and Technology and Medicine.
From our network of offices in Oxford, New York, Philadelphia, Boca Raton, Boston, Melbourne, Singapore, Beijing, Tokyo, Stockholm, New Delhi and Johannesburg, Taylor & Francis staff provide local expertise and support to our editors, societies and authors and tailored, efficient customer service to our library colleagues.