We are very proud to announce that Amanda Bisong defended her cum laude PhD thesis titled "Governing Migration: Analysing regional migration governance and free movement of Persons in the Economic Community of West African States" at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in January.
The movement of people across West Africa plays a vital role in the economic development and integration of countries in the region. At the same time, migration management poses complex challenges, including balancing security, human rights, economic and national interests. This is the focus of the research by Amanda Bisong, which examines the role of regional organisations, governments, and non-state actors in shaping migration policies in West Africa.
In particular, Amanda's research analyses the role of regional organisations and actors in shaping regional migration governance in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Her research uses qualitative methods such as interviews, observation and document analysis, emphasising the importance of situating migration research within specific contexts. Doing this, she highlights the complexity of migration policy in West Africa and the need for a nuanced understanding of regional dynamics, including colonial legacies and contemporary power relations. Amanda argues that migration policy in West Africa is more complex in practice than it is represented in migration theory and policy solutions. The research also explores the ways in which colonial and post-colonial histories have shaped migration in the region and the ways in which contemporary power relations between states influence migration policies.
Amanda's findings are based on more than eight years of fieldwork and observation in West Africa. The study provides new insights into how different actors work together and how this shapes regional migration management. In order to make effective and equitable policy decisions, we need a better understanding of these interactions," says Bisong. This research is a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers and anyone interested in the complex dynamics of migration in West Africa.
Please find her thesis here.
Supervisors:
- Prof.mr. T.P Spijkerboer
- Mr.dr. M.C. Stronks