Return Migration and Nation-Building in Africa: Reframing the Somali Diaspora. Routledge

Abstract

Adele Galipo’s book provides deep analysis on return migration and the role of diasporas in rebuilding their homeland. Numerous studies have been conducted that explore the involvement of migrants in the affairs of their homelands but what makes Galipo’s take on this topic pivotal is the depth of analysis and richness of context that she provides. The book is based on interview data collected from returnees that have come back from various parts of the western world. She examines beyond conventional wisdom and lifts the hood on more complex issues such as how return is negotiated, factors that enable some migrants to return whilst others are unable, how do some of them become agents of change, and what are the specific social and institutional circumstances within which they operate. She links this analysis to the formation of nation-building. There has been much attention given to return migration in Africa but...