Zimbabweans in Britain: Transnational Activities and Capabilities

Abstract

This paper explores the economic, political, social and cultural transnational exchanges of 500 Zimbabweans living in the UK. The paper examines the ways in which motivations for migration and immigration status impact on the type of transnational exchanges that take place between the UK and Zimbabwe, and also among diasporic networks elsewhere. After social contact with close family members, economic remittances form the most regular exchanges. The paper shows the ways in which remittance activities are affected by the structural exclusions, due to government policy, experienced by asylum-seekers and undocumented migrants who are prohibited from working in the regular labour market. However, it also clearly demonstrates that, with the exception of more political activity among those who left Zimbabwe for political reasons, motivations for migration have little impact on the nature of transnational exchanges among Zimbabweans in the UK.

Keywords:

• Transnational Exchanges
• Remittances
• Immigration Status
• Zimbabweans
• Exclusion

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Ralph Grillo and Valentina Mazzucato for their comments and engagement with this paper.

Notes

1. There was a significant relationship between age and length of time outside of Zimbabwe (p <.01). Significance tests in this study are a guide and not conclusive evidence, as the population sample was gathered using non-probability techniques. Cramer's V, which is a measure of association where 1 is a perfect association and 0 is no association, was .390 which suggests a medium level of association.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alice Bloch

Alice Bloch is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at City University, London