MSc Thesis Sjors Joosten Wageningen University and Research Academic Year 2015-2016 / 2016-2017 ‘Survival’ on the streets of ‘Babylon’: Ethnography of West African Migrants in Barcelona Master Thesis International Development Studies Conflict, Disaster, and Development / Sociology of Development and Change Student: Sjors Joosten (930329413130) Supervisor: dr. ir. MCM Nuijten 0 ‘Survival’ on the streets of ‘Babylon’ MSc Thesis Sjors Joosten Acknowledgements This thesis is the end product of the Master of Science in International Development Studies with a specialization in Conflict, Disaster, and Development, and with a personal focus on migration. The research required for this thesis was conducted over a fieldwork period of four months from March until June 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. This research was part of the internship period forming part of the VENI-research project ‘’Fortress Europe as a Mobile Space? Intra-EU Mobility of African Migrants’’ of dr. Joris Schapendonk of Radboud University in Nijmegen. To start, I would like to thank my supervisor dr. Monique Nuijten for her support and guidance during the entire process of both internship and thesis. She has been very supportive in giving constructive feedback on my thesis (especially my analyzing part), as well as very positive about my ethnographical style of writing, which almost made me blush. I was very happy that Monique showed her sincere interest and enthusiasm in my research from the beginning. Thank you Monique. As a second supervisor I thank dr. Joris Schapendonk for whom I functioned as intern within his VENI- research project. From the beginning I have been fascinated by the set-up and extend of the project, which made my time as intern very interesting. It was a pleasure working for Joris and meeting him in the field to have some good conversations with someone who has done the same and has the expertise. During my first two months of the internship I was working at the Radboud University, at the institute of management research and, therefore I would also like to thank the people who helped me creating a rather nice working environment at the office. Joris helped me with interesting topics and discussions, both individual between the two of us, as with the other research assistants within the project. From the research assistants I would specifically like to thank Bram, who was also positioned in Catalonia during the same fieldwork period. We met several times and exchanged our ideas, thoughts, and methods of doing the research, after we continued these interesting talks with some fresh beverages in Fissure, La Casa de les 3 Àmfores, and of course, La Boit. Obviously I could not have done my research without meeting the right people to interview. Now I think interview is a too formal word for the nice and interesting talks and conversations I had with ‘’the guys’’. It is amazing that most of them opened up to me and telling their story of migration and life experiences to- and in Barcelona. I enjoyed being able to listen to every story which were beautiful, amazing, intense, vulnerable, each in its own way. Not only the stories I heard from the 1 ‘Survival’ on the streets of ‘Babylon’ MSc Thesis Sjors Joosten guys opened and changed my view, especially the experiences I had with them in their personal lives. For this I especially want to thank Lamba, my man, who showed me around Raval, took me to Espacio Inmigrante, his own place, the MACBA, the reggae clubs, and most important the Baye Fall group. My Barcelona fieldwork period would have been so different if I would not have met Lamba and the Baye Fall guys: Abduhllah, who took me to the beach drinking cheap whiskey; Fati, who gave me my own Baye Fall name (Cherife Hassan Fall); Gatche G-Boy, who showed me his crazy-ass rapping skills; and Yegge, who is definitely the nicest guy in Barcelona, I hope he will make it as an artist. Thank you guys for enriching my life with these wonderful experiences. Baye Fall Biggéée. I cannot and should not forget my bro’s from Nigeria, Walter and Luki. Knowing we had the same age it was both sad to know what you had been through on this age already, but also admirable to see how you continued your life. It was very cool to hang out with you on the Rambla. Furthermore I want to thank my flatmates, Johanna, Magherita, and Fransesca, during my fieldwork period in Barcelona. Every night, after I came back from the city center where I did my interviews and observations, it was very nice to be able to sit down, relax, eat (chicken) and talk about all kind of issues I experienced. Grazie/Danke. The last person from Barcelona I want to thank is Antoni Luna Garcia, assistant-professor of humanities at the University Pompeu Fabra Barcelona. I really appreciated your enthusiasm and involvement for my research. Finally I want to show my gratitude to my friends and family. Especially dad (Angelo) for checking my writings and giving critical comments, but also Mum, Twan, Eva, Roos and René, who not only supported me during this period but have been doing this since the beginning of my studies. My friends from Wageningen; Linn, Tinkie, Edel, Del Piero and the other half of the Bandana-Brothers; the famous Tropical Rocher; thank you very much for your support, discussions and relief (at Desire) during our master study. I am more than delighted for having met you during this study. Last on the list, but she should definitely be on the top, my sjattepoemel; Giovanna. What should I have done without your support and love during this period, but in general, in my life. Next to beer and food, your love and bacios are a good source of motivation. Grazie mille il mio dolce amore. Heythuysen, December 2016. 2 ‘Survival’ on the streets of ‘Babylon’ MSc Thesis Sjors Joosten Executive summary African migration to Europe has been a very hot topic over the last few years. The amount of migrants from Africa who try to reach the shores of southern Europe is only increasing. Spain is one of the south European countries that have to deal with entering migrants from Africa, especially from West Africa. Many of the West African migrants who enter Spain, legally or illegally, end up in the big cities, like Barcelona. Here, in Barcelona, the life as a West African migrant is extremely difficult, it is a real survival. This is what my research is about; the survival of West African migrants in Barcelona. Based on ethnographical research I have been able to do observations, semi-structured interviews, small-talk, and self-ethnography to be able to understand the West African migrants’ experience of survival in Barcelona, and in its larger extend, in Europe. From the 35 West African respondents, 19 were in-depth enough to base the core of my thesis and results on. I have been able to enter the life world of many of the respondents which gave me a deep insight and understanding of their life- experience in Barcelona. All respondents came from West Africa, however the three main nationalities were Senegalese, the Gambian, and Nigerian. With the main research question, ‘’how do West African migrants survive in Barcelona, Europe?’’, I have been able to elaborate on the following aspects, which are the fundaments of this research: 1) migration stories of West African migrants to Europe; 2) Babylon, what it is and what it means, how it is felt, and what for affects it has on the respondents’ lives; 3) survival of the West African migrants in Barcelona and what keeps them surviving, and 4) exodus, and future migration and/or aspiration plans. 1) The migration story plays and important role in the continuing live of the West African respondents. It has an impact on the way they are able to live in Europe. While the motivations of most respondents were overlapping, mainly trying to find a better life (for themselves and their family back home), the trajectories and means to enter Europe were very diverse. This diversity shows the power difference (Ernste et al, 2002), difficulty, struggle to arrive. While the majority of the respondents (13 out of 19) had been able to arrange a visa via family, friends, or by marrying a European woman, the others (6 out of 19) had to take the dangerous illegal route for arriving in the same place. Based on the results of this research I disagree with Carling (2007) who states that Spain is a transit country. I rather agree with Schapendonk and Steel (2014) who argue that transit places can turn into destinations. For the majority of the West African respondents Barcelona became an end destination due to their social ties here, but also the (economic) opportunities a global city like Barcelona has to offer. 3 ‘Survival’ on the streets of ‘Babylon’ MSc Thesis Sjors Joosten 2) The opportunities many of the West African respondents came to seek in Barcelona and Europe are very scarce, not only for those who arrived illegally, the respondents with a legal residence permit experience the same. African migration, especially illegal migration, is still often portrayed as a threat to the security, welfare, and identity of Europe (Bauman, 2015). West African migrants are no Europeans, they are different, strange, ‘’other’’, and thus a threat. This makes the EU feel the oppressive need to protect and thus starts to resemble a king of gated community (van Houtum, Pijpers, 2007). However, for the West African respondents, Europe more resembles Babylon. Babylon is the strong and powerful, yet corrupted, unjust and oppressive society which exists in Western countries, and thus in Europe.