Call for articles: African perspectives on flight and migration

In view of the often one-sided, xenophobic and especially ahistorical discussions about migration and flight, AfricAvenir has opted to tackle the complexity of the issue in the project "Why We Are Here!? African Perspectives on Flight and Migration". By this, we want to put progressive African perspectives into the centre of our debates via the questions: How are the issues of flight and migration to Europe as well as within the African continent discussed in Africa itself? Which aspects are being neglected in the debate in Germany? How should a more humane refugee policy look like? Are there perspectives on migration in the so-called “countries of origin”, which radically question the mainstream, often racist images and approaches prominent in Europe? Who is responsible for the living conditions many people in the Global South flee from?nWe believe that these questions cannot be answered without taking the German and European history and politics into account. What is the role of the neoliberal and neocolonial German and European policies in this context? What are the historical contexts of migrations from Africa to Europe? What interests are behind the European immigration and deportation policies? We are also interested in the protests of refugees living in Germany, on their perspectives and demands, and the connections that can be drawn to historical and political analyses.nFor a Pambazuka special edition and a publication in German in cooperation with Inkota/Südlink, we are encouraging short articles (maximum 9.000 characters) in French, German, or English covering the above mentioned or following aspects:n

• Articles that place current migration into a historical context, showing the connections with modern Europe and put the fear of an “influx of foreigners” or “infiltration” into perspective.
• Articles that place current migration patterns into perspectives of historical continuities, global inequality structures and social/political contexts showing how narratives of “economic refugees“ are insufficient in view of the complex interrelations between these.
• Articles that show the connection between German/European/multinational economic activities (i.e. biofuels, agricultural products, weapons, land grabbing) and migration.
• Articles that deal with perspectives on migration which are under-represented in the public discourse: i.e. migration as a human right, migration as a temporary phenomenon, migration from the perspectives of those who have experienced it, etc.
• Articles that summarize the debate in more than one country of origin.

nPlease send your ideas to k.schroeder(a)africavenir.org until December 15th in form of an abstract with no more than 500 words. The final deadline for the articles will be at the beginning of February.