‘Climbing up a new ladder’—drivers and aspirations of Chinese new migrants in Ghana

Abstract

The rapid growth of Chinese migrants in Africa since the 1990s has sparked much academic research and debate. Drawing on qualitative data gathered between 2016-2019, this article aims to examine the relationships between the experiences of Chinese new migrants in Ghana and social changes in reform-era China. China’s state-led institutional reforms and market transition have significantly altered the social stratification order, opportunity structure, and individuals’ life chances. The macro-level drivers for new Chinese emigration to Africa can be attributed to two simultaneous processes: the political-economic expansion of China in the global economy versus uneven development and rising inequalities within China. Beyond the economic rewards, Africa offers a space for the new migrants to achieve upward mobility in the class hierarchy and flexibly shift their identity, which can be likened to an easier “ladder’ to climb up. This article contributes to the literature on migration drivers, diaspora-homeland relations, and contemporary migration in the Global South.