Migrant Trajectories

Following Migrant Trajectories: The Im/Mobility of Sub-Saharan Africans en Route to the European Union

Authors: Joris Schapendonk and Griet Steel
Published in: Annals of the Association of American Geographers, March 2014, Vol. 104, No. 2, pp. 262-270
Publisher: Taylor & Francis, Ltd.
Aim of the Study:

  • To use trajectory ethnographies to explore migration processes of Sudanese and Nigerians heading for the EU.

  • To understand how the mobilities debate contributes to transnational migration research.

  • To appreciate the relational ontology of mobilities and its focus on power differentiation in mobility processes.
    Key Insights:

  • Migration trajectories are produced, facilitated, slowed down, and blocked.

  • Analysis of migrants' im/mobilities reveals spatial frictions and embodied efforts in transnational engagements.

Key Terms

  • European Union: A political and economic union of member states.

  • Mobilities turn: An academic shift focusing on the significance of movement in social science.

  • Sub-Saharan Africa: Region of the African continent located south of the Sahara Desert.

  • Trajectory ethnography: A research method that follows individuals’ migration pathways over time.

Arguments of the Mobilities Turn

  • Migration studies often apply "sedentarist metaphysics" which reduces mobility to phases between fixed locations (A to B).

  • Transnationalism has challenged this notion, showing that migrants exist in multiple places simultaneously, thus requiring a better understanding of the dynamics between those places.

Critique of Transnationalism

  • It may focus primarily on linkages between two places, possibly ignoring the nuances of migrants' journeys.

  • Important experiences of mobility and spatial frictions are frequently overlooked.

Empirical Analysis: Sudanese and Nigerian Migration

Contextual Framework

  • Migration experiences are heavily influenced by globalization and restrictive European migration policies.

  • Sub-Saharan African societies display increasing connectivity due to globalization while facing barriers from EU migration policies.

Methodology

  • Research involved two trajectory ethnographies:

    • Sudanese Group: Engagement began in the EU (specifically Belgium) focusing on fifty Sudanese men.

    • Follow-up included eight individuals through France, the Netherlands, and Sudan.

    • Nigerian Group: Engagement started in Morocco and Turkey, focusing on the migration trajectories of twenty Nigerians (fifteen men, five women).

    • Follow-up included visits in Greece and Italy to capture waiting statuses and changing aspirations.

The Mobilities Paradigm

  • Offers a richer understanding of transnational migrations by exploring:

    • The relationality of mobility and immobility.

    • How fixed infrastructures, networks, and places impact mobility processes.

    • The interdependence of experiences of mobility and immobility, highlighting power dynamics involved in these processes.

Mobility Regimes

  • Facilitate movement for some while restricting others; creating high levels of inequality.

  • Example: EU citizens enjoy free movement across member states while migrants face barriers.

Gender Perspectives

  • The trajectories of migrants often illustrate gendered im/mobility relations.

  • Female migrants may navigate opportunities for mobility influenced by their male partners' status.

Examples of Trajectories

Sudanese Trajectories

  • Case Study: Mohammed and Adam, friends separated by migration and legal status, demonstrate how personal relationships intertwine with migration processes.

  • Their experiences highlight differing paths to residency based on financial ability and social connections.

  • Mohammed's marriage to a Belgian woman granted him a temporary residence permit, allowing family reunification in Europe, contrasting Adam’s longer path through asylum processes.

Nigerian Trajectories

  • Case Study: Destiny's journey illustrates the risks associated with irregular migration.

  • Experienced multiple failed attempts at migration, emphasizing the unpredictability and difficulties faced by migrants.

  • Highlighted that different trajectories can lead to varied outcomes:

    • Some migrate successfully while others remain in transit situations like Vincent, who found opportunities in informal trade instead of reaching Europe.

Implications of Mobility

  • The study of im/mobilities reveals the complex interplay between migration motivations, experiences, and outcomes.

  • Migrants often face enforced immobility as regulations can block their movement, generating feelings of frustration and displacement.

Conclusion

  • A nuanced analysis of im/mobilities enhances understanding of migration dynamics, contradicting linear migration conceptualizations.

  • Understanding the embodied experiences of migrants and their complex trajectories provides a deeper insight into transnational migration processes.