African Migration to Thailand: Race, Mobility, and Integration

This book explores the experiences of African migrants in Thailand, focusing on forced migrants and labor migrants, and includes theoretical contributions to understanding precarity and human security. It also analyzes the Thai migration policy context and the challenges facing policy-makers, law enforcement representatives, and migrants.

Format: Hardback
Length: 132 pages
Publication date: 07 September 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Based on extensive exploratory ethnographic research, this book delves into the captivating experiences of African migrants in the vibrant and diverse country of Thailand. Thailand has long served as a regional migration hub, with Africans being the most recent arrivals. This book, positioned at the crossroads of race and migration studies, shines a spotlight on the formidable challenges faced by Black and labor migrants as they strive to integrate into a society that has had limited exposure to and understanding of Black Africans. By bringing together research from esteemed scholars across Africa, Thailand, and Europe, this comprehensive volume specifically focuses on two distinct groups of migrants: forced migrants, such as Somali asylum seekers, and labor migrants, predominantly African men seeking improved livelihoods in niche economies such as gem trading, garment wholesale, and football playing and coaching.

Furthermore, this book offers valuable theoretical insights into the realms of precarity and human security, employing the concept of in/visibility to examine the unique challenges African migrants encounter in Thailand. Additionally, it explores the concept of othering to unravel the pervasive discrimination faced by Africans in this context. The book also provides a comprehensive analysis of the Thai migration policy landscape, shedding light on the challenges faced by policy-makers, law enforcement representatives, and the migrants themselves. While not comparative in nature, this volume establishes a strong connection with studies of Africans in other parts of Asia, particularly China.

By addressing an important gap in migration research, this book appeals to scholars across a wide range of disciplines, including migration and mobility studies, African Studies, and Asian Studies. Its insightful narratives and rigorous analysis provide valuable contributions to our understanding of the complex dynamics of migration and the experiences of diverse migrant communities worldwide.

Weight: 272g
Dimension: 222 x 145 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032261089