Focusing on West African migration to Europe, there are new developments that are not discussed yet and have to be reflected on. European migration policy and the situation of West African migrants in Europe are shaped by the refugee crisis of 2015/16. More than ever the European discourse on migration focuses on migration management and restriction. The discourse emphasizes on fighting the root causes of migration, which should prevent migrants from leaving their West African home countries. Many questions are unanswered yet: How does the refugee crisis from 2015/2016 affect West African migration? How does European migration policy towards West Africa change in light of the refugee crisis? Are there any effects on the development of West Africa.

Argument

Several migration researchers have for a decade, produced empirical work on migration and development. According to Hein de Haas (2008:2) this boom coincides with the “rediscovery of remittances as a “bottom up” source of development finance and the celebration of the transnational engagement of migrants with the development of their origin societies”. West Africa serves as a good example for this migration-development-nexus. It is a region with a tradition of high mobility and citizenship which is not defined along national boarders but across space. West African migrants partake in development initiatives, especially in the socio-economic and political sectors, and in flows and exchanges between host countries and countries of origin. Migrants from West-Africa, do not belong to either home or host countries, they often build up connections with and owe allegiances to both: they are “Here” (e.g. in the European host countries) and “There” (West-Africa). Since mid 80’s emigration constitutes one of the main economic resources for West African countries. Beyond their economic significance, remittances are a fundamental symbol of the migrant’s loyalty towards their non-migrant family. Politicians used in multiple ways migrants as informal political capital. Indeed, the growth of associations with a transnational orientation towards the development of the communities of origin after 2000 is partially affected by National Government’ interests in capitalizing migrants’ potentials. Based on this, the panel aims to enlarge current debates on migration and development in the West-African context. Here we are interested in discussing papers that deal with migration and development; remittances and their effects, e.g. on social strategies; West-African migration policies and implications of migration on citizenship. 

Submission guidelines

The Conferences languages are French and English.

Deadline for submission: November 14, 2017,

(300 Words Abstract).

Panel convenors

• Dr. Danielle MINTEU KADJE,  University of Yaoundé 2(Annex of Bertoua-Cameroon) Faculty of law and political Sciences danielle.kadje@gmail.com 
• Magdalene PAC,  University of Applied Sciences Duesseldorf (Germany) Faculty of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies  magdalene.pac@hs-duesseldorf.de

References

De Haas, Hein., 2008. “Migration and Development. A Theoretical Perspective.” International Migration Institute, University of Oxford.

Minteu-Kadje, Danielle. 2014 / 12, “Penser le Codeveloppement, la Dynamique Franco-Malienne." Sens Public,:1–6.

http://www.sens-public.org/spip.php?article1124

Minteu-Kadje, Danielle.2017/08, « Transnational Migration among migrants from Cameroon »,in  Migration and Development in Africa : Trends, Challenges and Policy implications,(eds), John A. Arthur, steve Tonah, Mary B.Setrana, Lexington books, Rowman and Littlefield.

Bendel, Petra.2017.EU Refugees Policy in crisis. Blockades.Decisions.Solutions. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.