Authors:	Drotbohm, Heike Winters, Nanneke
Title:	A shifting yet grounded transnational social field : interplays of displacement and emplacement in African migrant trajectories across Central America
Online publication date:	22-Sep-2021
Year of first publication:	2021
Language:	english
Abstract:	In this article, we draw on the volatile complexity of African migrant trajectories in Central America to broaden the scope of transnational scholarship. These trajectories are characterised by mobilities as well as immobilities, taking shape in particular local contexts. By focusing on the interplays between displacement and emplacement that are part of these trajectories, we aim to increase our understanding of the extent to which migrants still ‘on the move’ experience both temporal embeddedness and cross-border connectedness, thereby acknowledging and unravelling transnational lives as they ‘touch the ground’ en route. To do so, we build on long-standing scholarly commitments in Central and South America and recent field research in Costa Rica. We go into selected empirical cases to discuss the dynamics of travelling, dwelling and travelling again as part of African migrant trajectories across Central America. We then explore the value of a ‘shifting’ transnational social field perspective and indicate some challenges for future trajectory research.
DDC:	300 Sozialwissenschaften 300 Social sciences
Institution:	Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Department:	FB 07 Geschichts- u. Kulturwissensch.
Place:	Mainz
ROR:	https://ror.org/023b0x485
DOI:	http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-6019
Version:	Published version
Publication type:	Zeitschriftenaufsatz
License:	CC BY
Information on rights of use:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Journal:	Population, space and place 27 5
Pages or article number:	e2421
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell
Publisher place:	New York, NY u.a.
Issue date:	2021
ISSN:	1544-8452
Publisher URL:	https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.2421
Publisher DOI:	10.1002/psp.2421
Appears in collections:	JGU-Publikationen