Dear all,
Apologies for cross-postings.
We invite interested researchers to submit an abstract to our proposed
panel:
African Migrants Welfare, Regional Integration and Social Policy in Africa
for the Nordic African Days conference in Uppsala, Sweden, 20-21st
September 2018. (http://nai.uu.se/nad-2018/) .
Please send us your abstract of 250words by the 25th of January 2018. If
accepted, the full paper submission deadline will be on the 31st of July
2018.
Send abstract (or questions) to [log in to unmask] or
[log in to unmask]
Conveners:
Christal O.Spel
Social and Public Policy, University of Helsinki, Finland
Jimi Adesina
Professor & DST/NRF SARChI Chair in Social Policy
College of Graduate Studies
University of South Africa. City of Tshwane. South Africa.
Thank you.
*Long abstract*
The works of renowned and unapologetic Africanists such as Archie Mafeje
that emphasizes the need to study Africa and the African experience without
the burden of imposing Universalist framework or paradigms becomes relevant
if we build on regional questions of belongingness, care, and social
responsibility to examine the current vulnerability of the African migrant
in Africa. Indeed, if the African is categorized as informal within Africa,
and consequently, his/her experience altercated to reproduce heightened
vulnerability, trauma and ultimately fatality, should we not start our
empirical journey of the societal building from endogenous scholarship
rooted in pan-Africanist philosophy, and critically examine the
institutional ‘othering’ of the African? Yet, African migration study has
grown from, and blossomed, framed by the political representation of
borders that emphasizes control and exclusions, even though that control is
porous and the borders are as foreign as they are arbitrary. Possibly, the
dearth of pan-Africanist imbued scholarship in the examination and analysis
of the informal African migrant contemporary vulnerability is a reflection
of the imposing presence (implicit and explicit) of the nation-state in the
paradigmatic framing of migration management, but also of Social Policy,
aptly described as the discipline of welfare. The nation-state is
intricately and irrefutably connected to migration management and Social
Policy, while the historicity of the nation-state (as imposed), mobility
(as open) and care (as ethics of duty and the common good) in Africa aptly
contest, firstly, the query “why do Africans migrate?” - Often as a
prelude to exclusion -, and secondly, frame substantive welfare provision
via formal inclusion (rights) to the nation-state community. More so, with
contemporary regional interests on integration and cohesion, pursued
through trade pacts beyond traditional sub-regions, often packaged with
pan-Africanism ideals, questions on the welfare of mobile ordinary Africans
take a regional turn.
From this perspective, this panel explores issues of institutional
‘othering’ (and resistance) and regional integration in African migrants’
access to, specifically, means of livelihood, education/training
opportunities, and health services, and generally, means to achieve
wellbeing in the African host society. In addition, provision of care from
state and outside state institutions becomes relevant. We define
institutions from Williamson (2000) perspective to include formal and
informal rules, constraints and enforcement mechanisms.
We welcome conceptual and empirical contributions that for example engages
informal African migrants’ vulnerability with pan-Africanist ideology or
explores variations in informal African migrants’ wellbeing/outcome. Case
studies that examine the provision of care from, for example, religious
body, associations, individuals or group of citizens with goodwill are also
welcome.
--
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