'Return-Migration in Contemporary South Africa’
Date
2007-03-01T13:42:28Z
Authors
Lauckner-Rothschild, Sandra
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Abstract
Against the background of theories of culture, this research questions the motives
and experiences of expatriates that return to South Africa, their country of origin.
In re-telling their personal stories the research aims to shed light on the decisionmaking
processes that repatriates go through and explores the experiences
associated with such migration so as to better comprehend what social reintegration
and re-adaptation means for the individual returnee.
The research uses a range of interview-focused methodologies and concentrates
on the interrelated topics of migration, home, identity and social experience as the
primary thematic loci. In total, fourteen returnees were interviewed. The Life
Histories of two of them are examined in greater detail and their fuller stories
anchor the findings and research results.
All interviewees stated that special emotional bonds with South Africa had brought
them back “home”: they either wanted to ‘reconnect’ with their families or the
country itself; they wanted to expose their children to it or they wanted to be part
of the new South Africa and help bring about change. As a consequence of their
migrant journeys the interviewees gained a much stronger awareness for the
cultural (i.e., geographical and lifestyle) sources of their personal identities. By
exposing themselves to different surroundings and cultures they developed hybrid
identities, thereby layering international associations onto their established
cultural traditions and senses of self. Existing models on repatriation do not
adequately account for the importance culture plays in people’s experiences of
repatriation; yet clearly social as well as cultural issues play an important role. The
main factors relating to ease of re-integration and re-adaptation (identified by the
literature as economic, logistical, financial and social support) seem to hold true -
but again the current literature tends to overlook the role that culture plays in
these processes. The majority of these repatriates have established strong
residential ties to overseas, whether it be through multiple citizenship or a foreign
spouse, and several would consider leaving again should circumstances
deteriorate locally.
The research was fundamentally qualitative and therefore narrowly focused in
nature. A so-called ‘snow-ball’ system was used to identify possible interviewees.
This resulted in findings that may have limited statistical validity in the strict sense.
Nonetheless, the data generated valuable insights that might be considered
applicable for later analytical incorporation and/or policy applications in regards to
the continuing ‘brain drain’ out of South Africa and other countries of the
Developing World.
Description
Student Number : 0302103D -
MA research report -
School of Social Sciences -
Faculty of Humanities
Keywords
migration, repatriation, return-migration, home, identity, integration, adaptation, social experience