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This book presents an intimate portrayal of African migration through Mexico, based on a four-year longitudinal ethnography (2021-2025) conducted in Tijuana, Tapachula, and Mexico City. Through the lives of five African migrants, it explores the complex and ever-changing migration systems that shape their journeys, decisions, and ultimate destinations be it the United States, Canada, a return to their home countries, or settling in Mexico. Each chapter delves into a migrant's life story, offering a nuanced examination of forced migration infrastructures, smuggling networks, and the unique vulnerabilities faced by women in the asylum system. It also highlights how gender roles, expectations, and intersectional inequalities influence mobility, protection, and belonging across borders. The narratives reveal a complex web of interactions with corrupt migration authorities, compassionate smugglers, activists, and researchers, all navigating the intricacies of migration regimes. This ethnographic approach provides readers with authentic, bittersweet accounts of contemporary migration trajectories across the Americas. It challenges preconceived notions, revealing that smugglers are not uniformly malevolent, researchers often extend beyond their academic roles, and migrants' decisions are frequently driven by factors beyond rational calculation. By illuminating these multifaceted realities, the book offers a profound understanding of the human experiences underlying current migration patterns in the region. It also provides the views and strategies of different actors, not only the migrants, but also other people sharing part of the migrants stories and making their journeys possible (e.g. researchers, smugglers and activists). Even though it originates from academic research, the tone and contents are intended to be accessible to anyone interested in the topic.
List of contents
Introduction.- Contextualizing (African) Forced Migration and Displacement in Latin America.- Literature Review.- Methodology or how everything happened.- Paul A story of multiple displacements.- Souleyman and Daniel Instrumentalising vulnerabilities.- Jane A woman s journey through Mexico.- Mafara Youth and serendipity on the move.- A story of US.- Conclusions.
About the author
Ester Serra Mingot, PhD, is a scholar specializing in forced displacement, gender and social protection, with a research career spanning over a decade. Her academic journey began in 2014 with doctoral studies in social anthropology at the University of Maastricht, Netherlands. Her Ph.D. research, which earned a
cum laude
distinction, comprised a multi-sited ethnographic study examining formal and informal social protection strategies employed by Sudanese forced migrants in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as well as their families in Sudan. Her post-doctoral work included a research position evaluating the impact of assisted voluntary return and reintegration programmes at the Bonn International Center for Conflict Studies, with a primary focus on West Africa, particularly Ghanaian returnees. Subsequently, Dr. Serra Mingot secured three distinct funding sources to conduct extensive research on African migration across the Americas.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Dr. Serra Mingot has contributed her expertise as a consultant for DEMAC, GIZ or UNICEF across Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, China and Mexico, further broadening her impact in the field of forced displacement, gender and social protection. Dr. Serra Mingot currently conducting research on the integration and socioeconomic inclusion of LGBTIQ+ displaced persons in Mexico, through a postdoctoral grant by the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (SECIHTI).
Summary
This book presents an intimate portrayal of African migration through Mexico, based on a four-year longitudinal ethnography (2021-2025) conducted in Tijuana, Tapachula, and Mexico City. Through the lives of five African migrants, it explores the complex and ever-changing migration systems that shape their journeys, decisions, and ultimate destinations—be it the United States, Canada, a return to their home countries, or settling in Mexico. Each chapter delves into a migrant's life story, offering a nuanced examination of forced migration infrastructures, smuggling networks, and the unique vulnerabilities faced by women in the asylum system. It also highlights how gender roles, expectations, and intersectional inequalities influence mobility, protection, and belonging across borders. The narratives reveal a complex web of interactions with corrupt migration authorities, compassionate smugglers, activists, and researchers, all navigating the intricacies of migration regimes. This ethnographic approach provides readers with authentic, bittersweet accounts of contemporary migration trajectories across the Americas. It challenges preconceived notions, revealing that smugglers are not uniformly malevolent, researchers often extend beyond their academic roles, and migrants' decisions are frequently driven by factors beyond rational calculation. By illuminating these multifaceted realities, the book offers a profound understanding of the human experiences underlying current migration patterns in the region. It also provides the views and strategies of different actors, not only the migrants, but also other people sharing part of the migrants’ stories and making their journeys possible (e.g. researchers, smugglers and activists). Even though it originates from academic research, the tone and contents are intended to be accessible to anyone interested in the topic.
