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Factors Underlying Return Migration Decisions among Nigerian Victims of 2019 Xenophobic Violence in South Africa
In: African DiasporaAbstract
Studies on xenophobic violence have mainly focused on their causes and effects, but have yet to probe how victimisation experiences of xenophobia trigger migration intentions and actual practices. In a balance of tales, I examine how families contributed to staying put/return decisions by Nigerian migrants in South Africa following the September 2019 xenophobic violence. The study asks: to what extent do family facilitate and/or contribute to the decision to return? And how do return strategies unveil the centrality of family in taking migration decisions? Data emerged through online interviews with Nigerian immigrants in South Africa who stayed put, and six family members in Nigeria were reached through snowball sampling. This was supplemented with secondary interviews conducted with Nigerian returnees in three National newspapers (The Punch, Vanguard, Nigerian Tribune and The Nation newspapers). Findings show the centrality of family in both migration intentions, staying-put, and the actual practices of Nigerian victims of xenophobia in South Africa.
Résumé
Les études sur les violences xénophobes se sont majoritairement concentrées sur les causes et les effets de celles-ci. Pourtant, il reste à décrire comment les expériences de victimisation xénophobe peuvent être à l’ origine des intentions voire des prises de décision de rentrer au pays. A travers des récits, j’ ai étudié la manière dont des familles ont contribué à la décision de migrants nigérians en Afrique du sud de rester/rentrer suite aux violences xénophobes de septembre 2019. Cet article pose la question suivante : dans quelle mesure la famille joue-t-elle un rôle dans la prise de décision du retour ? Et comment les stratégies de retour mettent au jour la place centrale de celle-ci dans les décisions migratoires ? Les données provenant d’ entretiens en ligne avec des migrants nigérians en Afrique du sud qui sont restés sur place et six membres de leurs famille au Nigéria. Des entretiens secondaires avec des migrants nigérians rentrés chez eux dans quatre journaux nationaux (The Punch, Vanguard, Nigerian Tribune et The Nation) ont complété ce tableau. Les recherches ont établi la centralité de la famille dans les intentions migratoires, – rester –, et les actions réelles posées par les victimes nigérianes de xénophobie en Afrique du sud.
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| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1479 | 526 | 11 |
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Factors Underlying Return Migration Decisions among Nigerian Victims of 2019 Xenophobic Violence in South Africa
In: African DiasporaAbstract
Studies on xenophobic violence have mainly focused on their causes and effects, but have yet to probe how victimisation experiences of xenophobia trigger migration intentions and actual practices. In a balance of tales, I examine how families contributed to staying put/return decisions by Nigerian migrants in South Africa following the September 2019 xenophobic violence. The study asks: to what extent do family facilitate and/or contribute to the decision to return? And how do return strategies unveil the centrality of family in taking migration decisions? Data emerged through online interviews with Nigerian immigrants in South Africa who stayed put, and six family members in Nigeria were reached through snowball sampling. This was supplemented with secondary interviews conducted with Nigerian returnees in three National newspapers (The Punch, Vanguard, Nigerian Tribune and The Nation newspapers). Findings show the centrality of family in both migration intentions, staying-put, and the actual practices of Nigerian victims of xenophobia in South Africa.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1479 | 526 | 11 |
| Full Text Views | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 22 | 5 | 0 |