Understanding the Socioeconomics of International Migration Decisions and Outcomes Through the Capability-Based Migration Framework

This dissertation critically reviews neoclassical migration theories and conceptualises the capability-based framework as a prospect in migration theory. I show that most of the neoclassical migration theories were formed in the twentieth century. They therefore require an update to accommodate contemporary migration dynamics. I argue that a multifaceted and multidimensional capability-based approach that centralises human agency and capabilities can address the earlier theories’ shortcomings. Hence, I adopt the capability-based migration framework as the main framework in my dissertation. The dissertation differs from previous empirical studies in its unique methodology and exceptional attention to the grey areas in the migration discourse. Using data from prospective Nigerian migrants living in Nigeria, actual migrants living in Italy and a collection of secondary data sources, the dissertation addresses three research questions: how do capabilities influence migration decisions in the home country; what are the capability-depriving constraints faced by migrants in the host country; and how do migrants contribute to capability improvement in the home country?

Writing Africa, Righting America: An Experience of Otherness in J. P. Clark’s America, Their America

In this article, I examine one of the finest first-generation Nigerian writers, John Pepper Clark-Bekederemo, who passed away on 13 October 2020, and who has been categorised as a Eurocentric writer. By critiquing his America, Their America, this work investigates the authenticity of this perception of J. P. Clark as a Eurocentric Nigerian writer. By analysing his autobiography vis-à-vis the notion of the Self and the Other, a theoretical concern in contemporary travel writing, the researcher establishes that every culture has its positive and negative aspects. It must not feel too proud to change as time and situation demand. It is clear that Clark vehemently rejects the US claim of the sophistication and superiority of their culture over African culture. The paper concludes that contemporary travel writing should be a rightful site for negotiating cultural compromises between the Self and the Other, since the gap may be difficult to close altogether.

“We Do the Social”

The ethnographic study was conducted in the unplanned settlement of Adjahui, which is located in Port Bouët municipality of the Abidjan metropolis, Côte d’Ivoire, where, after a short period of self-building activities, rental housing was constructed on a massive scale. We asked about the motivations behind these investments into the lowest price segment of rentals in Abidjan and their property management. Findings from interviews with 12 estate agents revealed that small-scale private investors from the middle class and West African migrant background speculated with low-cost housing under extra-legal conditions to accumulate or maintain their wealth. These entrepreneurial landlords delegated construction of courtyard houses and property management to local non-accredited estate agencies. While the deals between investors and estate agents were driven by profit, the occupational history of the estate agents showed how they randomly moved into this business. Their work was also socially motivated, as they expressed responsibility for their customers, who could not afford other rental housing. The paper will discuss how the investments reduced the quantitative deficit in low-cost rental housing.

Overview of Education in Ethiopia: Traditional Institutions and Language Perspectives

This article briefly introduces the phases of education in Ethiopia in the last 150 years and the impact of traditional institutions on languages. The intention of this report is to present the background section of a PhD (Gemechis, 2020) defended at Ghent University in September 2020. It is believed that the period of modern education in Ethiopia is shorter when compared with that of traditional education, which lasted for more than a century. Modern or “Western” education was launched in 1908, and Western educational ideas have flourished since the early twentieth century; but the traditional approach characterised Ethiopian education throughout the history of this ancient nation (Hoot, Szente and Mebratu, 2004). This article aims to review the past 150 years of education in Ethiopia in connection with historical trends and the influence of traditional institutions on education in general and languages in particular. Respondents discuss the fact that that, unlike the Orthodox and Missionary churches in Ethiopia, some of the traditional institutions such as the Waaqqeffannaa of Oromoo Institution were not allowed to reflect their values and languages. The study reveals that traditional institutions have played a crucial role in education in Ethiopia. Furthermore, understanding the impact of languages in education is important in teaching and learning in general. However, the findings confirm that there was no structure that could equally understand and accommodate all traditional institutions to contribute to the education of Ethiopia in the past. This article concludes with the recommendation that there should be a well-established implementation system on the languages and cultural institutions that could attract all nations and nationalities to promote their traditional institutions. For instance, there are no language and cultural policies aimed at sustainability.

L’urbanisation, entre la déviance et l’éthique

Résumé Deux études de cas de villes très étalées (Kinshasa et Mexico) illustrent mieux la question de l’urbanisation de grandes villes du point de vue de la déviance et de l’éthique. À travers une analyse méthodologique de faits concrets nous parlons de l’espace urbain comme probable conducteur de la ségrégation sociale. L’article considère qu’il faudrait gérer la déviance le mieux possible, parce qu’elle travaille contre toute initiative d’éthique et de développement durable. Une discussion indique que sans une approche sociale, sans des politiques urbaines justes; des espaces de ségrégation sociale continueront d’exister avec des fortes conséquences sur l’étalement urbain et la qualité de vie (qdv) et la qualité d’un lieu (qdl) des populations. Pour mieux gérer cette situation, l’accent est mis sur le principe du développement durable afin de remédier aux problèmes de la déviance. L’article conclut qu’une nouvelle configuration urbaine beaucoup plus éthique serait plus bénéfique aux populations et aux nombreuses villes du monde dans l’avenir.

Experiences of Healthcare Workers of Hospitalised Individuals with covid-19 in Kano, Nigeria: A Qualitative Study

Background: Management of patients with covid-19 needing hospitalisation is challenging worldwide. However, little or no information has been gathered regarding the experiences of healthcare workers (hcw s) involved in the care of patients with covid-19 in poorly resourced settings. This study explored the experiences of hcw s managing hospitalised patients with covid-19 in a treatment centre in Kano, Nigeria. Methods: hcw s directly or indirectly involved in managing patients with covid-19 in one of the two treatment centres in Kano, Nigeria, were sampled based on being information-rich cases. The study participants were interviewed individually via telephone using a semi-structured interview guide. Data collection was stopped when content saturation was attained. Data was analysed using thematic synthesis. Results: Eleven hcw s, comprising two medical doctors, five nurses, a laboratory staff member, a community health extension worker, an environmental health officer and a cleaner, participated in this study. Four major themes were generated: (i) the profile and readiness of hcw s prior to being engaged to work in a covid-19 treatment centre, (ii) the experience of hcw s while working in the covid-19 treatment wards, (iii) challenges with working in covid-19 treatment wards, and (iv) post-treatment support for covid-19 patients. The participants had variable prior experience in managing patients with infectious diseases. Interventions offered were mainly antiviral therapy, nursing care, counselling, nutritional interventions and toilet hygiene. Challenges encountered included insufficient cooperation from patients, poor personnel welfare, lack of human resources/equipment and issues interfering with wellbeing (stigma). Conclusion: The studied population exhibited professional competence and success in managing hospitalised patients with covid-19 during hospitalisation, despite existing challenges.

Les migrations d’étudiants en Turquie dans le cadre d’une politique d’internationalisation de l’enseignement supérieur

Résumé Cet article interroge la politique d’internationalisation de l’enseignement supérieur turc et son influence sur la mobilité des étudiant.es d’Afrique subsaharienne. Il s’appuie sur une recherche qualitative conduite entre 2014 et 2016 sur les conditions de vie et d’études de 184 étudiant.es en provenance de pays africains résidant dans la capitale turque. Le travail met en évidence le lien existant entre la politique étrangère du pays d’accueil et la mobilité étudiante, et analyse les expériences des étudiant.es dans leur nouveau lieu de vie.

The Impact of River Regulation on Downstream Socio-Hydrologic Systems in Ethiopia

In recent years, a renewed interest in large-scale hydraulic interventions has developed, frequently justified by the premise of making the agricultural and energy sectors climate-resilient. Despite this important climate effort, hydraulic interventions are controversial and have far-reaching impacts on river-dependent communities and the environment. Drawing on gis analyses of remote sensing images and qualitative and quantitative empirical evidence from the field, this PhD dissertation focused on the impact of two large dams and one inter-basin water transfer (ibwt) on downstream socio-hydrologic systems (coupled human-water systems) in Ethiopia. The results indicated that (i) downstream hydrogeomorphic systems drastically altered after the implementation of the hydraulic interventions, (ii) small-scale farmer-led irrigation systems more efficiently increased crop productivities than several large-scale irrigation projects, (iii) the newly induced hydrologic regimes strongly altered downstream social interactions due to impeded river crossing and (iv) ill-prepared land redistributions and resettlements left thousands of households with a high risk of impoverishment.

Ṣàngó’s Incest, Oxala’s Equanimity and the Permanence of African Myth-Legends in Atlantic Yorùbá Dramaturgy

This article discusses the permanence of Yorùbá myth-legends in Atlantic Yorùbá dramaturgy. The dramaturgy is conceived as a genre of Atlantic Yorùbá literature produced by the scions of Yorùbá slaves in the New World and some òrìṣà worshippers in the Americas who claim an affiliative relationship with continental Yorùbá. I argue in favour of a myth-legend taxonomy of oral prose narratives as against the Western classification of traditional tales into myth, legend and folktale. Yorùbá traditional tales, also called pataki by the Atlantic Yorùbá, are dubbed myth-legends due to the shared features of myths and legends immanent in them. The article examines these traditional tales, drawing insights from psychoanalytic and postcolonial models to foreground the Ọbàtálá–Jesus parallelism, primeval rivalry between Ṣàngó and Ògún, and the paraphilia of certain Yorùbá hero-gods. It affirms the Euhemerisation of these deities to accentuate their apotheosis and possession of human attributes.