Ghanaian Mobilities, Intersecting Inequalities and Transnational Activities By: Leander Kandilige Supported by the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) with a Postgraduate Research Award

Research site

WHY? Research on movement from global South to North Remittance-development nexus in sending states (Testas, 2002; de Haas, 2003; Stark and Wang, 2002) Why migrants are interested in transnational activities (Manuh, 1998; Smith and Guarnizo, 1998; Vertovec and Cohen, 1999; Faist, 2000; and Itzigsohn, 2000) But no link between intrinsic inequalities, mobilities and transnational activities

Methods UK Scoping exercise (20 respondents) 20 In-depth interviews 120 surveys among two communities Ethnographic study (8 months) GHANA 364 Surveys (247 in Eastern region and 117 in Upper East region) among head of households 20 in-depth interviews Ethnographic study (3 months) Secondary data from BOG, GSS and GNA

Inequality and mobility Ecology and natural resources Colonial policies Lack of political will Poverty and illiteracy Pattern of mobility Socio-cultural differences Established social structures and hometown associations Investment behaviour of migrants

Migration and livelihood outcomes Living standards a)Education b)Health c)Employment d)Electricity and Water Income distribution a)Greater income inequalities in the Upper East than Eastern region

Geographic Scale of Analysis Whose development is it anyway?

The Housing conundrum

The Migrant Ghost Villas

General Housing arrangements, Upper East Region

Emerging migrant influence

Conclusions and missing links