Sharing Debt and Houses: Strategies for Surviving Late Capitalism Among Aging Ghanaian Migrants in Canada

Cati Coe

Economic Anthropology, 2026, vol. 13, issue 1

Abstract: The appropriation of commodities, or decommodification, occurs alongside processes of commodification as part of the diverse economies coexisting with capitalism. Drawing on research among aging Ghanaian immigrants living in Canada, I examine their attempts to decommodify housing within unaffordable housing markets as part of cultural projects to maintain family unity. This research reveals that the instruments of financial capital used to commodify housing—namely, mortgages—can be used to create shared ownership across the generations that removes housing, at least temporarily, from the market. In addition, I argue that the temporary removal of housing from commercial markets is a response to its commodification and expense, driving families to rely more on one another, creating both family unity and conflict.

Date: 2026
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