Rose Jaji critically describes the horrible situation faced by many people, as well as the facts and issues that make migration a viable or non-viable option. Non-Migration Amidst Zimbabwe’s Economic Meltdown provides deep insight into the complexity of migration and urges solutions based on international solidarity.
— Ronald Lutz, Erfurt University of Applied Sciences
At a time when the world is again gripped by the challenge of responding to large-scale refugee movements, this excellent book compels us to also consider the complex factors that lead many to not migrate while many others do. Through her nuanced and sophisticated analysis of the diverse realities of Zimbabwean non-migrants, Jaji raises critical questions that must be asked of other prominent countries of origin: Who remains? And why?
— James Milner, Carleton University
Jaji’s new book on non-migrants who choose to remain in Zimbabwe, despite the economic and political turbulence of the country, once again makes a case for a more nuanced approach to migration studies. The book weaves together heterogeneous personal experiences from several dozen interlocutors with theoretical discussions in order to dismantle common conceptions in migration research, including the role of social networks, the subjective meaning of security and peace, and the varied (and changing) future aspirations to migrate. Jaji continues to centre the agency of migrants and non-migrants alike, placing individual decisions within broader political and economic contexts. The book is a must-read not only for all those interested in the region, but also migration theorists more generally.
— Franzisca Zanker, senior research fellow, Arnold Bergstraesser Institute
Why do people choose not to migrate in the face of protracted political and economic crisis? In this engaging book, Jaji addresses this supposed paradox and offers a thoughtful and nuanced account of the complexity and ambivalence of migration-related decision-making. Jaji skillfully traces individual agency and creativity within structural constraints to highlight a diversity of reasons for not migrating. In doing so, Jaji not only challenges received imaginations of why people stay put, but also offers critical insights into migration, development, and life in Zimbabwe today.
— Sarah Kunz, University of Essex
This is a compelling and engaging book that offers new insights into ‘non-migrants’ who receive much less attention in scholarship. Non-Migration Amidst Zimbabwe’s Economic Meltdown is an excellent contribution to migration studies. Highly recommended to researchers, students, and practitioners working on migration issues!
— Naohiko Omata, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford
Jaji provides a unique perspective on migration, using a migration studies frame to explore the decisions and motivations of Zimbabweans who do not migrate. Rather than choosing to leave the difficult economic and political conditions of the country, Jaji’s research participants live with the constant potential for transnational mobility, and yet in different ways, choose to stay. In a globalizing world of transnational mobility, this insightful angle informs transnational migration scholarship interested in the relationship between those who stay and those who leave.
— Matthew Hayes, St. Thomas University