Transnational social fields in forced immobility: relations of young Sub-Saharan African migrants in Morocco with their families and friends

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between forced immobility and the transnational identity of young Sub-Saharan African migrants in Morocco. The data presented in this article suggest that the extent to which people are able to make their transnational social fields work for them depends on the political, legal and social environment they find themselves in and the position they occupy within their host and home communities. The article demonstrates that such factors influence mobility options and the use of modern technologies among young Sub-Saharan African migrants in Morocco. They also lead to changes in the dynamics of their contact and relationships with family members in the home communities, which can become fractured over time. This means that life in transnational social fields can have a negative effect on the young migrants’ view of themselves and on their life course.