Migration And State Formation After Colonialism: The Eritrean Experience

Migration and state formation after colonialism is about relations between Africa and Europe, historical and contemporary. Most papers focus on the situation facing migrants, forced and voluntary, from Eritrea and other African countries when seeking entry to Europe. Virtually all African migrant communities are hard hit by structural racism and social exclusion. Migration within Africa, and out of Africa is driven by a combination of forces. Economic underdevelopment is a legacy from the colonial period. Unsustainable land policies generate migratory movements when rural populations no longer can provide for themselves. Forced migration is an outcome of the systematic violation of Human rights, wide-spread presence of corruption, and lack of democratic rule. These issues seem to be linked up with the precarious processes involved in ‘state formation’ and nation-building. “Anchoring a greater part of the analysis on the migrants’ own realities, such as their mobility strategies, this volume gives voice to the perspectives of migrants and refugees from Africa. As it delves into the geo-political, cultural and institutional dimensions of Africans’ mobility, as well as the historical linkages between Africa and Europe, the collection sheds light on the complexities involved in the various stages in the migratory process, extending from places of origin, final destinations in Europe, and spaces in between.” Ahmed Raji, International development specialist and blogger “This book brings together an insightful collection of papers by Africanists with diverse expertise. They offer a fresh perspective on the underlying causes of forced migration as being intertwined with colonialism and its aftermath resulting in a coercive nation building attempt and a failed state formation experience in Eritrea. Recognizing the recent geopolitical tension in the Horn of Africa that is expected to produce more displacement and destruction, this timely book is a must for academics, practitioners and students who want to refresh their understanding of the unique situation of political refugees escaping the region.” Khaled Beshir, Phd, Development Finance Professional

Sadia Hassanen, Ph.D. in Human Geography, is a senior researcher based at Stockholm University. She has published extensively on various aspects of transnational migration among African diasporas in Sudan, Sweden and Australia. Charles Westin is emeritus professor of migration and ethnicity studies. He is currently affiliated with the Department of Social Anthropology at Stockholm University.