international migration development-nexus
Author
Awudu, Abdul-salam
Term
4. term
Publication year
2011
Submitted on
2011-06-30
Abstract
Denne afhandling undersøger migration-udviklings-nexus gennem et kvalitativt casestudie af Ghana. Den søger at identificere, hvad der driver den nyere udvandring af ghanesere til højindkomstlande, og hvordan denne bevægelse påvirker migranter, deres husholdninger og den nationale udvikling. Med afsæt i en omfattende litteraturgennemgang og en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi, forankret i etablerede migrationsteorier (dual labor market, neoklassisk, world-system, netværk og transnational tilgang), belyser studiet økonomiske, sociale og politiske triggere samt betydningen af remitter, uddannelse og arbejdsmarkeder. De foreløbige resultater peger på, at økonomiske motiver er vigtige, men at fattigdom ikke er den primære drivkraft, fordi omkostningerne ved international mobilitet udelukker de allerfattigste. Efterspørgslen efter udenlandske grader på det ghanesiske arbejdsmarked bidrager til brain drain, og styringssvigt og politiske valg—såsom strukturtilpasningsprogrammer—har skabt arbejdsløshed og stimuleret udvandring. Analysen adresserer blandede socioøkonomiske og politiske konsekvenser på husholdnings-, lokalt og nationalt niveau, herunder potentielle bidrag via remitter sammen med tab af kvalificeret arbejdskraft. Studiet søger at gå ud over traditionelle forklaringer ved at identificere nye drivkræfter og tydeliggøre, hvordan international migration interagerer med udviklingsresultater i Ghana.
This thesis explores the migration-development nexus through a qualitative case study of Ghana. It asks what drives the recent outflow of Ghanaians to high-income countries and how this movement affects migrants, their households, and national development. Drawing on an extensive review of relevant literature and a qualitative research strategy guided by established migration theories (dual labor market, neo-classical, world-system, social network and transnational approaches), the study examines economic, social and political triggers and the roles of remittances, education and labor markets. The emerging findings indicate that while economic motives matter, poverty itself is not the primary driver because the costs of international mobility exclude the poorest. Demand for foreign degrees in the Ghanaian job market contributes to brain drain, and governance failures and policy choices—such as structural adjustment—have generated unemployment and spurred emigration. The analysis considers the mixed socio-economic and political ramifications of migration at household, community and national levels, including potential contributions through remittances alongside losses of skilled labor. The study aims to move beyond conventional explanations by identifying evolving drivers and clarifying how international migration interacts with development outcomes in Ghana.
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