GERMAN-BASED AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS’ TRANSNATIONAL SPHERE: STRATEGIES OF INCORPORATION AND THE CREATION OF IDENTITY IN AN EXPANDED EUROPEAN UNION by Gukaah Brenda Nwana a Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Approved Dissertation Committee Prof. Dr. Klaus Boehnke Prof. Dr. Margrit Schreier Prof. Dr. Christian Joppke Prof. Dr. Rainer Tetzlaff Prof. Anna Triandafyllidou Date of Defense: 5th February, 2015. i Approved Dissertation Committee Prof. Dr. Klaus Boehnke PhD Advisor and First Internal Reviewer Professor for Social Science Methodology Jacobs University Bremen Email: [email protected] __________________________________ Prof. Dr. Margrit Schreier Second Internal Reviewer Professor of Empirical Methods in Humanities and Social Sciences Jacobs University Bremen Email: [email protected] Prof. Dr. Christian Joppke Second Supervisor/ First External Reviewer Professor of Sociology University of Bern Email: [email protected] Prof. Dr. Rainer Tetzlaff Third Internal Reviewer Professor of International Politics and History Jacobs University Bremen Email: [email protected] Prof. Anna Triandafyllidou Second External Reviewer Director of the Cultural Pluralism Research Area. Global Governance Programme, European University Institute Email: [email protected] ii Statutory Declaration I, Gukaah Brenda Nwana, hereby declare that I have written this PhD dissertation independently, unless where clearly stated otherwise. I have used only the sources, the data and the support that I have clearly mentioned. This PhD dissertation has not been submitted for conferral of degree elsewhere. I confirm that no rights of third parties will be infringed by the publication of this dissertation. Bremen, May, 2015 Signature ____________________________________________________________ iii © Copyright by Gukaah Brenda Nwana 2015 All Rights Reserved iv EPIGRAPH “Migration control especially to Germany and the European Union cannot be a campaign, Roll back immigration should be a policy, a long term programme. It can be attained by the adoption of a practicable programme with the reasonable Holistic perspective from both sending and host societies That will be sustained for a long time. Otherwise, roll back immigration for Germany in particular and the European Union in general Will be “accidental adversaries or growth and underinvestment” (System’s Perspective). Gukaah Brenda Nwana. 2010 v DEDICATION This work is dedicated first and foremost to my Supervisors Professors Klaus Boehnke and Margrit Schreier To my children Fabiola Bisona Caspa and Melin Kenyikob-Lebnyonga Caspa more than second generation black Germans And to the following people Daddy Caspa Dieudonne for providing every wage during this herculean task My Parents Papa Nfon Emmanuel Nwana and Mama Rose Nwana for giving me this golden opportunity, a lifelong capital. My Nephews and nieces Samgwa’a Akombom Joel Shiteh Samjela Atisbom Noel Shiteh Mbowo Liel Nfon Nguh Roy-Keane Wuwiembue Shiteh Ndzamdzubue Orvine Shiteh Cassandra Dundze Dobgimah Lema Chelsea Dobgimah Serena Bih Nguh and In loving memories of Na Tema Anna Ndzamdzubue Na Anna Dundze Aunty Bofua Grace Tanahbum and Macrendon Kutchambi Ndanji Who made me to feel the culture of my people at a rather unconscious age but did not live to see this work. And finally to all those who pray that Germans should give them ‘qually (be quallated)’ so that they shall continue staying in Deutschland. “Mi’e-yin lan-lan” vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am indebted first and foremost to my original supervisors. Prof. Dr. Klaus Boehnke has unflaggingly supported and encouraged me, your insightful critical comments, patience and ideas have been particularly rejuvenating, long hauling in the direct line of fire as well as providing valuable editorial input, because of you I have grown as a person, a scholar and more importantly as a research expert. Prof. Dr. Margrit Schreier what passion! What a teacher! I embody the praxis you so much emphasize. You have practiced what you teach so elegantly. Profs. Klaus and Margrit went beyond the requirements of regular advisors, demonstrating extraordinary patience in my most difficult moments. I can never find words to thank you two enough for your support, guidance, and encouragement. You two have given me a place in the world finally! Because of you, my cup runneth over. My other supervisors Prof. Dr. Rainer Tetzlaff (our wisdom Professor), Prof. Dr. Christian Joppke, Prof. Anna Triandafyllidou for accepting to review this work in different capacities Secondly my acknowledgement goes to the Jacobs administration for the logistics they put in place for my studies not forgetting the team assistants Rena Dickel and Bianca Bergmann for being so comprehensive and willing to entertain my interceptions during my time at Jacobs. I also wish to give thanks to Mrs. Shirlene Boadum for taking time to proofread the draft of this work in spite of her work load, Shirlene I am delighted for your sisterly treatment. To my colleagues and friends who made my study a memorable experience at Jacobs. This includes Jan-David Franke, who proofread the thesis with a special focus on German expressions. I would also like to acknowledge my key informant and research assistant Dr. Nsoh Christopher who gave me information unreservedly. Special thanks go to German-Cameroon Grassland Cultural Association (Deutsch-Kamerunischer Kulturverein Grassland e.V.), Mano River Multi Cultural Organization e.V. for generously allowing me access to study the groups and other resources. The participants across all the various phases of the study have my eternal gratitude for agreeing to share their lives with me to the degree they did. My parents, entire family and friends were as usual unstintingly supportive and understanding about my prolonged ‘absences’ over the years. Special gratitude goes to the Mahleko’s and Augustino Valda’s families and my friends Faith Laeticia, Bernard Henebeng, Sony Osagie, vii Nchuipoh Lilian, and Mr. Yves Happi for being for me in Bremen. Thanks are also due to my husband for bearing and understanding what support really means with no long faces. Finally to the Holy Spirit who is the author and finisher of this miracle, Holy Spirit I worship and appreciate you in my life in Jesus Name-Amen viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration……………………………………………………………………………………..ii Copyright……………………...………………………………………………………………iii Epigraph………………………………………...……………………………………………..iv Dedication……………………………………………………………………………………...v Acknowledgment……………………………...………………………………………………vi Table of Contents……………………………….……………………………………………viii List of Tables…………………………..…………………………………………………...xviii List of Figures…………………..…………………………………………………………….xx List of Abbreviations………………………………………………………………………..xxii Executive Summary……………………...…………………………………………………xxiv GENERAL INTRODUCTION: 0) International Migration - The Hard Nut to Crack…………..…...…………1 0. 1) History and Geography of Migration……………………..……………….3 0. 2) African Migration to Europe in the Twenty First Century and the European Union…………………………………………..………………..4 0. 3) Europe and the European Union (EU)………….………………………10 0. 4) Fortress Europe and Identity Crisis………………………………………12 0. 5) Outline of the Dissertation………………………………………………..17 CHAPTER ONE: GLOBALISATION, IMMIGRATION INTO GERMANY: AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS AND THE EXPANDED EUROPEAN UNION 1) Introduction………………………………………………………………20 1. 1) Context of Study…..……………………………………...………………22 1. 2) Statement of the Problem………………………………...………………24 1. 3) Motivation and Justification of Case and Study Area…………...……….25 1. 4) Research Questions……………………………………………………….27 1. 4. 1) Main Research Question……………...…………………………………..27 1. 4. 2) Subsidiary Research Questions…………..………………………………27 1. 5) Objectives of the Study…………………………………………………...27 1. 5. 1) Main Objective…………………………………………………………...27 1. 5. 2) Specific Objectives……………………………………………………….28 ix 1. 6) Research Methodology…………………………...………………………28 1. 6. 1) The Extended Case Study Method and the Grounded Theory…………...28 1. 6. 2) Systems Thinking (ST)………………………………...…………………30 1. 6. 3) Reflexivity……………………..…………………………………………31 1. 7) Theoretical Considerations……………………………………………….32 1. 8) Rationale of this Study…………………………………………………35 1. 9) Conclusion………………………………………………………………..36 CHAPTER TWO: SECTION A GLOBALISATION AND MIGRATION 2) Introduction………………………………………………………………38 2. 1) Theorizing Migration and the Rise of Transnational Migration………….38 2. 1. 1) Typologies of Migration………………………………………………….41 2. 1. 2) The Transnational Perspective: The Challenges and the Limits of the Transnational Perspective to Migration…………………………………..42 2. 1. 2. 1) The Return of Assimilation…………………………..…………………..42 2. 1. 2. 2) General and Abstract……………………….…….………………………42 2. 1. 2. 3) Specific and Organic……………….…………………………….………43 2. 1. 2. 4) Debate between Integration and Assimilation: National Identity versus Personal Values…………………………………………………...47 2. 1. 3) Transnational Migration, Globalization and the Nation-State…………48 2. 1. 4) Transnational Migration and Development: The Role of Remittances…53 2. 1. 5) Gender and Transnational Migration……………………………………65 2. 1. 6) Transnational Migration, Ethnicity and Religion………...………………68 2. 1. 7) Conclusion………………………………..………………………………68 SECTION B GOVERNMENTALITY, ACCULTURATION AND SOCIAL CAPITAL 2. 2) Introduction……………………………………………………………....68 2. 2. 1) Michael Foucault on Governmentality………………………………….68 2. 2. 2) John Berry on Acculturation and Assimilation………….……………….72