Doctoral Dissertation Research: Transnationalism, Islam, and Commerce Among Malian Immigrants in Brazzaville

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The city of Brazzaville, Congo, is home to a population of immigrants from Mali, which has been a part of that city for over 100 years. While these immigrants have a high degree of economic integration in Congo (most are merchants and entrepreneurs), they nonetheless maintain a community that is in nearly all respects separate from that of the cultural majority: they avoid intermarriage and limit their social contacts with Congolese. More importantly, these Malians remain intimately involved in the affairs of their country of origin, despite the fact that it is thousands of miles away. This dissertation research by a student of cultural anthropology will study how and why members of this immigrant group preserve these significant transnational ties over several generations. It will use an array of methods, including participant observation, in-depth interviews, a sample survey, and a case study of migrants from a single village, to focus special attention on three core areas of life which are fundamental in keeping a distinct cultural identity for Malians in this setting: childrearing practices, Islam, and commerce. It will also explore the question of how migration, in addition to being a result of macro-level social, economic, and political forces, might be understood as an undertaking of individual agents who find in it not only economic livelihoods but deep cultural meaning. In terms of its broader impact, this study will contribute to the education of a young social scientist, and the new knowledge to be created will be of interest to policy makers concerned with immigration and local community life in many parts of the world.