Journey to the East: a study of Ghanaian migrants in Guangzhou, China

Obeng, Mark Kwaku Mensah

doi:10.1080/00083968.2018.1536557

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…As a result, those who move between the two countries are normally well educated and highly skilled people. Obeng (2019) for example notes that at least 40% of African migrants in Guangzhou (China) have had a tertiary education (see also Bodomo & Ma, 2010). Another peculiarity of this corridor is its double direction: we can observe both Ghanaians moving to China, and Chinese moving to Ghana, which can help us unpack some crucial questions on the relationship between income inequality and migration.…”

Section: How Do Poverty and Inequality Influence Who Migrates And Why?mentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Another peculiarity of this corridor is its double direction: we can observe both Ghanaians moving to China, and Chinese moving to Ghana, which can help us unpack some crucial questions on the relationship between income inequality and migration. Chinese started moving to Ghana in late 1950s (Ho, 2008), while Ghanaians initiated to migrate to China in the late 1990s-early 2000s (Obeng, 2019). For this corridor, there is evidence that highlights how the role of the household and the social network is fundamental in overcoming income inequality for those who want to leave, but also in increasing income inequality in relation to those "left behind", because there is the tendency in investing in the migration of only one individual or only one group of people, due to the high cost of the experience (trip, documents, accommodation).…”

Section: How Do Poverty and Inequality Influence Who Migrates And Why?mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Poverty, Income Inequalities and Migration in the Global South

Casentini,

Hammond,

Bakewell

2023

The Palgrave Handbook of South–South Migration and Inequality

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In this chapter, we critically engage with the existing literature to explore how the condition of countries of origin, the situation in countries of destination and the role of remittances relate to the key analytical instruments of poverty and income inequalities. We analyse the ways in which income inequalities contribute to patterns of migration; the mechanisms by which resources are transferred back to places of origin and their impacts on poverty and income inequalities; and the impact of migration on patterns of inequalities in places where people move. We discuss whether migration can play a role in reducing income inequality, by helping increase incomes and contribute to poverty alleviation, or whether it is a very selective phenomenon that tends to exacerbate inequalities. Global South and South–South migration are included in the analysis, albeit through a critical approach, that highlights the need to consider the historical dimensions involved in their creation, the political construction of these categories and the limitations embedded in their theoretical application.

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Section: How Do Poverty and Inequality Influence Who Migrates And Why?mentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: How Do Poverty and Inequality Influence Who Migrates And Why?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Poverty, Income Inequalities and Migration in the Global South

Casentini,

Hammond,

Bakewell

2023

The Palgrave Handbook of South–South Migration and Inequality

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“…The literature is slowly moving to considering the specificity of migrants from various African countries in different cities across China. Carling and Haugen (2021) focus on Gambian migrants in Guangzhou, while Obeng (2019) analyzes Ghanaian migrants to the same city. Here, Ghanaians are the second largest group of migrants, behind Nigerians (Bodomo 2018, 68, cited in Obeng 2019.…”

Section: African Migrants In Chinamentioning

confidence: 99%

Africa-China Knowledge Networks: State of the Field

Bolin¹,

Carayannis²,

Niewenhuis³

et al. 2022

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The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is an independent, international, nonprofit organization founded in 1923. It fosters innovative research, nurtures new generations of social scientists, deepens how inquiry is practiced within and across disciplines, and mobilizes necessary knowledge on important public issues. For nearly 100 years the SSRC has coordinated the research, policy, and philanthropic communities in the pursuit of evidence-based policies to promote human well-being, emerging as both a pivotal force in the academy and a respected contributor to the public good. The SSRC is guided by the belief that justice, prosperity, and democracy all require better understanding of complex social, cultural, economic, and political processes. We work with practitioners, policymakers, and academic researchers in the social sciences, natural sciences, humanities, and related professions. We build interdisciplinary and international networks, working with partners around the world to link research to practice and policy, strengthen individual and institutional capacities for learning, and enhance public access to information.

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“…The most apparent form in the Sino-African relations has been economic, with investment in infrastructure dominating the Chinese portfolio in Africa. According to the World Bank, China's finances have been the bedrock of several large-as well as medium-size infrastructural projects in Africa and the value of these packages has risen sharply between the early 2000s and 2018 (Obeng, 2019). Beyond the financing of infrastructure, China has sustained a trading relationship with Africa, the volume of which has increased exponentially from US$1 billion to US$163 billion within just 32 years, between 1980 and 2012 (Leslie, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The sustained relations between China and Ghana have informed a rise in the migration of Ghanaians to China for multiple reasons, including for education, commerce, and tourism (Kandilige & Yaro, 2020). As noted by Obeng (2019), Ghanaian migrants to China could be broadly divided into transient migrants (comprising transnational traders and business executives of Chinese companies) and semi-permanent migrants (including entrepreneurs, diplomats, teachers of the English language, and tertiary students). The contemporary flows invariably have considerable effects on the economic dimensions of the lives of migrants, migrant households, and the broader communities, especially in the areas of poverty reduction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

African Perspectives on South–South Migration

Zeleke,

Smith

2024

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This book investigates the diverse and dynamic forms of migration within Africa. Centring themes of agency, resource flows, and transnational networks, the book examines the enduring appeal of the Global South as a place of origin, transit, and destination.Popular media, government pronouncements, and much of the global research discourse continue to be oriented towards migration from the Global South to the Global North, despite the fact that the vast majority of migration is South-South. This book moves beyond these mischaracterisations and instead distinctly focuses on the agency of African migrants and the creative strategies they employ while planning their routes within and across the African continent. Case studies explore the flow of resources such as people, money, skills, and knowledge throughout the continent, while also casting a light on the lived experiences of migrants as they negotiate their sometimes precarious and vulnerable positions. Underpinned by intensive empirical studies, this book challenges prevailing narratives and provides a new way of thinking about South-South Migration.Composed by a majority of scholars from the Global South, the book will be crucial reading for researchers, students, and policy makers with a focus on South-South Migration, Migration and Inequalities, Migration and Development, and Refugee and Humanitarian Studies.

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Journey to the East: a study of Ghanaian migrants in Guangzhou, China

Cited by 8 publications

References 22 publications

Poverty, Income Inequalities and Migration in the Global South

Poverty, Income Inequalities and Migration in the Global South

Africa-China Knowledge Networks: State of the Field

African Perspectives on South–South Migration

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