Impact of South African migration policies on the migrants’ quality of life and the role of social work

This paper discusses the impact of South African migration policies on the migrants’ quality of life. It does that with a particular focus on the Bill of Rights as contained in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. This is followed by a discussion on the role of social work in addressing any shortcomings that arise as a result of the implementation of the migration policies. This paper is primarily a desk study involving rigorous literature review on migration and relevant South African policies and international instruments. Theoretically, the ecosystems perspective is adopted to support and guide discussions in this paper. The discussions in this paper reveal that the South African migration policies do contribute towards the quality of life of the migrants, however, the challenges emanate from the implementation stage. It is from this understanding that various social work roles are discussed in order to help address the identified challenges.

African Spectral Pasts and Their Presences on the Malabar Coast

In the coastal regions of Kochi in Kerala, memories of forced African migration to India are preserved through shrines dedicated to African or Kappiri spirits, belief in their mischievous acts, and their intercessory powers. Shrines for African spirits are eclectic and modest, and they operate as indexical reminders of the troubled African pasts during the colonial occupation of Kerala. For most local people, Kappiri is a spectral deity, figureless and seemingly abstract, and a pervasive spirit who inhabits the coastal landscape. By studying vernacular histories, tales of spirit sightings, and worship practices surrounding the spectral figure of Kappiri, I have analysed how African spirits manifest their phantom presences and channel their spectral powers to those who seek to believe in their histories, which otherwise are obliterated from institutional discourses. Focussing on different material and intangible manifestations of African spirits, I discuss how different recollective practices—ritualistic, creative, and secular—offer alternative discursive exegesis on Afro-Indian connections.

Book review: Cajetan Iheka and Jack Taylor (Eds.), African Migration Narratives: Politics, Race and Space

Cajetan Iheka and Jack Taylor (Eds.), African Migration Narratives: Politics, Race and Space. University of Rochester Press, pp. 328. Year 2018, Price: $75 (paperback). ISBN 978-1580469340.