Lost in migration or actors of mobility? Patterns of circularity of Senegalese migrants

Eleonora Castagnone, FIERI

While consistent qualitative empirical research on different groups and areas was undertaken mainly through ethnographies or sociological in-depth qualitative studies, relatively little quantitative evidence exists in the West African region, and more particularly in the Senegalese context to corroborate the existence, size and characteristics of return flows. However, almost no research has been able to account for practices of circularity, looking at repeated migration and returns. Nonetheless a better understanding of circular migration is required in order to inform policies aimed at fostering development of origin countries as well as successfully integrating migrants in the receiving societies. The submitted paper is aimed at identifying and analyzing the circular migration patterns of Senegalese migrants, taking in account the temporal (looking at both short and long-term returns), the iterative, and the spatial (distinguishing circular behaviours within or between different geographical spaces) dimensions of temporary returns between destination and origin countries.