Description

Book Synopsis

Elusive Jannah is a remarkable portrait of the very different experiences of Somali migrants in the UAE, South Africa, and the United States. Cawo M. Abdi clearly reveals the importance of immigration policies in the migrant experience.



Trade Review

"This is a powerful and beautiful ethnography of members of the Somali Diaspora dealing with the opportunities and disadvantages of life in three points of settlement. Cawo M. Abdi gets very close to the subjects and depicts their outlooks, strategies, and trials in a convincing and rich manner."—Steven J. Gold, Michigan State University

"Elusive Jannah provides a fascinating window into the identities, strategies, and struggles of Somalis in three very different national contexts. Based on ethnographic research in the United States, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates, this is an engaging, well-written, and welcome addition to the comparative study of international migration."—Nancy Foner, coauthor of Strangers No More: Immigration and the Challenges of Integration in North America and Western Europe


"The book remains a valuable contribution to studies of international migration and it is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Somalia and its diaspora."—African Affairs

"The multiplicity of experiences and diverse contexts highlighted by Cawo drive home the complexities of diasporic lives,making this book an important resource for both area and diaspora studies."—International Migration Review

"Elusive Jannah offers depth and breadth to the literature on Somali diaspora groups and more generally to studies of international migration and migrant incorporation and belonging. It deserves to be widely read for its beautiful ethnography and insightful analysis of belonging and mobility in an age of stratified globalization and migration."—American Journal of Sociology



Table of Contents

Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction: Muslim African Refugees and Border Politics
1. The Genesis of Contemporary Somali Migrations
2. United Arab Emirates: Partial Belonging and Temporary Visas
3. South Africa: Insecurity in Racialized Spaces
4. United States: Slippery Jannah?
Conclusion: Muslim African Refugees in Perpetual Passage
Notes
Index

Elusive Jannah The Somali Diaspora and a

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      Publisher: University of Minnesota Press
      Publication Date: 01/08/2015
      ISBN13: 9780816697397, 978-0816697397
      ISBN10: 0816697396
      Also in:
      Ethnic studies / Ethnicity Social groups: religious groups and communities

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      Elusive Jannah is a remarkable portrait of the very different experiences of Somali migrants in the UAE, South Africa, and the United States. Cawo M. Abdi clearly reveals the importance of immigration policies in the migrant experience.



      Trade Review

      "This is a powerful and beautiful ethnography of members of the Somali Diaspora dealing with the opportunities and disadvantages of life in three points of settlement. Cawo M. Abdi gets very close to the subjects and depicts their outlooks, strategies, and trials in a convincing and rich manner."—Steven J. Gold, Michigan State University

      "Elusive Jannah provides a fascinating window into the identities, strategies, and struggles of Somalis in three very different national contexts. Based on ethnographic research in the United States, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates, this is an engaging, well-written, and welcome addition to the comparative study of international migration."—Nancy Foner, coauthor of Strangers No More: Immigration and the Challenges of Integration in North America and Western Europe


      "The book remains a valuable contribution to studies of international migration and it is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Somalia and its diaspora."—African Affairs

      "The multiplicity of experiences and diverse contexts highlighted by Cawo drive home the complexities of diasporic lives,making this book an important resource for both area and diaspora studies."—International Migration Review

      "Elusive Jannah offers depth and breadth to the literature on Somali diaspora groups and more generally to studies of international migration and migrant incorporation and belonging. It deserves to be widely read for its beautiful ethnography and insightful analysis of belonging and mobility in an age of stratified globalization and migration."—American Journal of Sociology



      Table of Contents

      Contents

      Acknowledgments
      Introduction: Muslim African Refugees and Border Politics
      1. The Genesis of Contemporary Somali Migrations
      2. United Arab Emirates: Partial Belonging and Temporary Visas
      3. South Africa: Insecurity in Racialized Spaces
      4. United States: Slippery Jannah?
      Conclusion: Muslim African Refugees in Perpetual Passage
      Notes
      Index

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