Family, obligations, and migration

Annett Fleischer
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Annett Fleischer: Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research

Demographic Research, 2007, vol. 16, issue 13, pages 413-440

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of family and kin networks on the individual decision to migrate. The study is based on qualitative ethnographic data which was collected during a field research in Cameroon in spring 2005, showing the considerable impact of the extended family on the migrant’s choice to leave Cameroon for Germany. Migrants do not solely move for their own achievements and purposes, but rather as significant members of their entire immediate family. The individual is part of an informal reciprocal system of exchange which is based on trust and has social consequences, and includes duties and responsibilities for both sides.

Keywords: anthropology; Cameroon; family networks; migration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J1 Z0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
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