Cooperating countries: Senegal, Austria

Coordinating institution: University for Continuing Education Krems

Project coordinator: Naiara Rodriguez-Peña

Partner institution: Université Assane Seck Ziguinchor

Project duration:

Budget: 40.000,00 €

The concept of migration aspirations has been central to discussions on migration decision-making. Research has primarily examined how these aspirations form and why they sometimes remain unrealized. A major advancement in this field is the concept of involuntary immobility, which describes a phenomenon where migration aspirations are unfulfilled due to legal, economic or social barriers. However, a critical gap remains: how involuntary immobility affects individuals, families and societies. This oversight is significant, as involuntary immobility can shape broader life aspirations, behaviors, attitudes and overall human development.
Dedicated to exploring its consequences, AIM (i) differentiates between two dimensions of involuntary immobility –geographic and social–, (ii) investigates how involuntary immobility influences broader life aspirations, well-being and local engagement over time, and (iii) examines its impact on both aspiring migrants in origin and migrants at destination.
Empirically, our research focuses on two key contexts: young people in their country of origin (Senegal) and young people at an international migration destination (Austria). Data will be collected from three major areas of internal and international outmigration in Senegal – Ziguinchor, Kolda, and the Bagadadji commune in Casamance, a region with strong migration aspirations yet significant barriers– and from Vienna (Austria), where the West African population is growing. Our methodology includes original qualitative research, including semi-structured interviews and participant observation, supplemented by prior quantitative and qualitative insights from an existing FWF-funded project on geographic involuntary immobility in Casamance.
Through collaborative research, we address these gaps, advancing knowledge dissemination among academics and practitioners on migration and development.