Negotiating transnational identities and belongingness back home: The case of 'posted children' of Ghanaian emigrants

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Date

2015-04-17

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University of Ghana

Abstract

The desire for better standard of living has led to the migration of people, since the dawn of human history. Migrant parents, in host countries, are sending their children to their country of origin owing mostly to social and economic factors. Little attention has been paid to the integration challenges faced by these children in the areas of food, language and education. The paper examines the coping strategies of children sent home from abroad ("posted children") in selected schools in the Greater Accra Region. In-depth interviews and case studies were used to assess these challenges and coping strategies faced by the children. The findings show that the children initially had difficulties integrating into the educational system but settled in with time. In addition, they all had difficulties with disciplinary practices in school which they perceived as infringement on their human rights. They had no problem with food as they were used to Ghanaian dishes whilst abroad. Language was an issue initially but most posted children readily overcame this challenge.

Description

School of social sciences colloquium

Keywords

educational system, migration, language, infringement

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