the rural‐urban migrant network in Kenya: some general implications

Abstract

Rural‐urban migration patterns in many settings involve extensive contacts between the city and the country. Such contacts are conceptualized as a rural‐urban network of kin who share resources and who visit frequently. Neither setting can be viewed independently of the other. Six antecedent conditions are suggested that should encourage the formation of rural‐urban network migration systems. The Influence of the rural‐urban network in Kenya is illustrated with data on family and household organization and by patterns of visiting and sociability between city and country residents. Familial ties remain stable within the network; rural contacts are positively associated with urban success and longevity, and social ties Include rural and urban kin. The data come from broadly‐based survey Information as well as from a more intensive ethnographic study of one such rural‐urban familial network. Findings from both these approaches mutually support the rural‐urban network model.