Socio-Economic Participation of Somali Refugees in the Netherlands, Transnational Networks and Boundary Spanning

In this article we analyse the socio-economic participation of Somali refugees in the Netherlands. Unemployment is higher among Somalis than any other refugee or immigrant group in the Netherlands and they face many obstacles when it comes to social and economic participation. At the same time, they are known for having a strong transnational orientation. We were interested to learn whether and, if so, how Somalis use their transnational networks to overcome obstacles on the Dutch labour market and how boundaries around formal labour markets are negotiated in order to access employment and to participate. We did so by focusing on two strategies employed to participate, namely through Somali organizations in the Netherlands and elsewhere, and by Somalis moving to the UK. In doing so, we looked at Somalis’ ability to span boundaries to create opportunities. The concept of transnational networks is helpful in understanding Somalis’ daily realities, but conceptually it does not seem to fit entirely as these networks usually only refer to connections with the ‘homeland.’ We argue that Somalis’ boundary-spanning activities move beyond national levels and involve various scales, sites, and settings. The data we refer to are derived from focus group discussions with 66 Somali people in Amsterdam and 20 interviews with experts who work with the Somali community in the Netherlands. These discussions and interviews were held in 2013–14. We also draw on 20 interviews with Somali organizations in the Netherlands about their transnational orientation, which were conducted between 2010 and 2013 in the context of another research project

Somalis in Amsterdam

The Netherlands is home to one of Europe's largest Somali communities. Somalis in Amsterdam are a diverse group—including first-generation refugee and asylum seekers who have recently fled the war in Somalia, second-generation Dutch Somalis born in the Netherlands, and Somalis who arrived in the 1990s as refugees and who are now Dutch citizens.Somalis in Amsterdam is part of a seven-city research series, Somalis in European Cities, by the Open Society Foundations' At Home in Europe project, which examines the realities of people from Somali backgrounds in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Malmo, Leicester, London, and Oslo

Somalis in Amsterdam: Executive Summary

The Netherlands is home to one of Europe's largest Somali communities. Somalis in Amsterdam are a diverse group—including first-generation refugee and asylum seekers who have recently fled the war in Somalia, second-generation Dutch Somalis born in the Netherlands, and Somalis who arrived in the 1990s as refugees and who are now Dutch citizens.Somalis in Amsterdam is part of a seven-city research series, Somalis in European Cities, by the Open Society Foundations' At Home in Europe project, which examines the realities of people from Somali backgrounds in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Malmo, Leicester, London, and Oslo

Decentralisation and Popular Participation in Bolivia : The link between local governance and local development

Decentralisation the transfer of functions, responsibilities and financial resources to lower levels of government - has become a quite common element of public policy in developing countries. Decentralisation is expected to have a positive effect on the development process by reducing the inefficiency associated with centralism, making local government more responsive, increasing intra-regional equity and promoting greater local participation. It has also been presented as a crucial element in achieving good local governance, which refers to the process through which public decision-making is defined, incorporating both local government, civil society and the private sector. In order to be good, governance should comply with four conditions: it should be participatory, transparent, accountable and contribute to equity. This study discusses the impact of decentralisation policy on local governance and local development, and the factors that condition this impact, in six rural municipalities in the department of Chuquisaca, Bolivia. The Bolivian decentralisation policy, which was launched in 1994, was embraced particularly at the international level as a model that complied with all the conditions to achieve both good local governance and local development. Main component of the policy is the Law on Popular Participation, which aims primarily at the transfer of responsibilities and funds from the central to the local level. The three main elements of this law are (1) the creation of 311 urban-rural municipalities that are assigned a number of responsibilities and that receive funds from the central government, (2) the introduction of participatory planning and (3) the establishment of a Vigilance Committee of representatives of the population that should secure the fair implementation of the Law on Popular Participation. Decentralisation in Bolivia contributed positively to local governance. This conclusion applies in particular to participation, certainly compared to the situation prior to 1994, when the rural population was not involved in local decision-making. With respect to accountable and transparent local governance, the impact of decentralisation policy is somewhat disappointing however, since the Vigilance Committees are not able to control local affairs, due to a lack of cooperation of local government. Also, decentralisation appears to have differentiated impact with respect to equity, with urban populations and well accessible peasant communities being much more informed and able to participate. With respect to local development, decentralisation has resulted in an increase of the development opportunities, by increasing the investment capacity of local governments, compared to the situation prior to 1994. The local development actions concern particularly the improvement of the economic and social infrastructure, with an emphasis on the social sector. There appears to be no equal access to development opportunities, particularly between well and less accessible communities. This differentiated impact is explained by the institutional context, particularly the presence of non-governmental organisations

Decentralisation and Popular Participation in Bolivia : The link between local governance and local development

Decentralisation the transfer of functions, responsibilities and financial resources to lower levels of government - has become a quite common element of public policy in developing countries. Decentralisation is expected to have a positive effect on the development process by reducing the inefficiency associated with centralism, making local government more responsive, increasing intra-regional equity and promoting greater local participation. It has also been presented as a crucial element in achieving good local governance, which refers to the process through which public decision-making is defined, incorporating both local government, civil society and the private sector. In order to be good, governance should comply with four conditions: it should be participatory, transparent, accountable and contribute to equity. This study discusses the impact of decentralisation policy on local governance and local development, and the factors that condition this impact, in six rural municipalities in the department of Chuquisaca, Bolivia. The Bolivian decentralisation policy, which was launched in 1994, was embraced particularly at the international level as a model that complied with all the conditions to achieve both good local governance and local development. Main component of the policy is the Law on Popular Participation, which aims primarily at the transfer of responsibilities and funds from the central to the local level. The three main elements of this law are (1) the creation of 311 urban-rural municipalities that are assigned a number of responsibilities and that receive funds from the central government, (2) the introduction of participatory planning and (3) the establishment of a Vigilance Committee of representatives of the population that should secure the fair implementation of the Law on Popular Participation. Decentralisation in Bolivia contributed positively to local governance. This conclusion applies in particular to participation, certainly compared to the situation prior to 1994, when the rural population was not involved in local decision-making. With respect to accountable and transparent local governance, the impact of decentralisation policy is somewhat disappointing however, since the Vigilance Committees are not able to control local affairs, due to a lack of cooperation of local government. Also, decentralisation appears to have differentiated impact with respect to equity, with urban populations and well accessible peasant communities being much more informed and able to participate. With respect to local development, decentralisation has resulted in an increase of the development opportunities, by increasing the investment capacity of local governments, compared to the situation prior to 1994. The local development actions concern particularly the improvement of the economic and social infrastructure, with an emphasis on the social sector. There appears to be no equal access to development opportunities, particularly between well and less accessible communities. This differentiated impact is explained by the institutional context, particularly the presence of non-governmental organisations

A contemporary geographical worldview

Hoe kun je jongeren helpen zich een geografisch beeld van de wereld te vormen dat recht doet aan de mondiale complexiteit en dat een basis biedt voor hun handelen? Drie ingrediënten mogen in een écht mondiaal perspectief niet ontbreken: translokale relaties, diversiteit en positionaliteit

Making a living between places: the role of mobility in livelihood practices in rural Rwanda

To nuance the image of Africa as one large urban hub, this article focuses on the households that remain in the countryside. We argue that it is necessary to pay attention to rural areas in order to understand current urbanisation and to do justice to the reality of those African households caught between processes of urbanisation and rural transformation. Based on data collected in northwest Rwanda, we analyse the impact that the government’s transformative policies to reconfigure the rural space and economy has had on rural livelihoods and show that in response to these processes of change, more and more rural households are complementing agricultural activities with off-farm activities and multi-locality. We argue that because rural–urban migration is often emphasised as the main response to rural transformation, other forms of mobility, such as temporary and circular migration and commuting, are overlooked. The data show that the dynamics of change do not benefit everyone equally and do not necessarily result in people escaping poverty. While mobility is a significant asset that enables people to benefit from opportunities in different localities by constructing spatially dispersed ties and connections, not everyone has an equal relationship with it

Migrants' Transnationality, Societal Transformation, and Locality

Fauser M, Nijenhuis G, eds. Migrants' Transnationality, Societal Transformation, and Locality. Population, Space and Place. 2016;22(4)

Migrants' Transnationality, Societal Transformation, and Locality : An Introduction

The implications of migrants' transnational engagements for processes of change and development in the regions of origin are attracting increased attention from both policymakers and academics. Rather than addressing the positive effects of migration and transnationality on local development, this special issue suggests a focus on the relationship between this phenomenon and broader societal transformation, thereby acknowledging the renewed importance of place and locality. To this end, this introduction provides an overview of the current debate on transnational dynamics in relation to societal transformation, local development, and inequality. Central to our analysis is the way in which migrants' transnationality engages with the hierarchies that exist between and within localities, and how this reproduces social inequalities. This introduction thus also reflects the key themes that are addressed in the five papers that make up this special issue on transnational dynamics, transformation, and locality

Migrants' Transnationality, Societal Transformation, and Locality: an Introduction

Fauser M, Nijenhuis G. Migrants' Transnationality, Societal Transformation, and Locality: an Introduction. Population, Space and Place. 2016;22(4):336-342.The implications of migrants' transnational engagements for processes of change and development in the regions of origin are attracting increased attention from both policymakers and academics. Rather than addressing the positive effects of migration and transnationality on local development, this special issue suggests a focus on the relationship between this phenomenon and broader societal transformation, thereby acknowledging the renewed importance of place and locality. To this end, this introduction provides an overview of the current debate on transnational dynamics in relation to societal transformation, local development, and inequality. Central to our analysis is the way in which migrants' transnationality engages with the hierarchies that exist between and within localities, and how this reproduces social inequalities. This introduction thus also reflects the key themes that are addressed in the five papers that make up this special issue on transnational dynamics, transformation, and locality. Copyright (C) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd