Africa's Return Migrants

Many African migrants who reside abroad nurture a hope to one day return, either permanently or on a more temporary basis. In the wake of economic crises in much of the developed world, alongside rapid economic growth in parts of Africa, the impetus to 'return' is likely to increase the coming years. Such returnees are often portrayed as 'agents of development' who will bring with them economic capital, knowledge and skills as well as social connections and experience gained in a 'developed North'. Yet, the reality is altogether more complex. In this original and much-needed volume, based on extensive original fieldwork, the authors reveal there is all-too-often a gaping mismatch between abstract policy assumptions and migrants' actual practices. In contrast to the prevailing optimism in policies on migration and development, Africa's Return Migrants demonstrates that the capital obtained abroad is not always advantageous and that it sometimes even hampers successful entrepreneurship and other forms of economic, political and social engagement.