The stone-made myth of return : translocality and housing in Amedzofe, Ghana
- This paper delves into how migration and the resulting emergence of translocal networks, shaped by migrants' spatial and social trajectories, influence housing investment decisions in the area of origin. During our field stay in Amedzofe, a settlement in south-eastern Ghana, we gathered qualitative data in a transect walk with a local key informant and, building upon this, ten semi-structured interviews, alongside quantitative data collected through a questionnaire involving 94 households as part of the broader data collection within the MiTra|WA research project. By applying a simple propensity score matching approach, the study demonstrates that households with at least one migrant are 18 percentage points more likely to invest in housing for Amedzofe family members than non-migrant housholds. Notably, investments in aesthetically appealing housing are particularly significant. Our qualitative findings substantiate these observations, highlighting a strong inclination to showcase translocal interconnectedness and a lasting sense ofThis paper delves into how migration and the resulting emergence of translocal networks, shaped by migrants' spatial and social trajectories, influence housing investment decisions in the area of origin. During our field stay in Amedzofe, a settlement in south-eastern Ghana, we gathered qualitative data in a transect walk with a local key informant and, building upon this, ten semi-structured interviews, alongside quantitative data collected through a questionnaire involving 94 households as part of the broader data collection within the MiTra|WA research project. By applying a simple propensity score matching approach, the study demonstrates that households with at least one migrant are 18 percentage points more likely to invest in housing for Amedzofe family members than non-migrant housholds. Notably, investments in aesthetically appealing housing are particularly significant. Our qualitative findings substantiate these observations, highlighting a strong inclination to showcase translocal interconnectedness and a lasting sense of belonging to Amedzofe. Housing investments also encapsulate the ingrained notion of migrants' eventual return to Amedzofe, especially for retirement, namely the "stone-made myth of return." Our study emphasizes the need for expanded research focus on translocal networks and the symbolic importance of housing in the Ghanaian context. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for addressing the implications of growing demands for living space, which may impact land distribution and require further investigation.…

