The uses of social capital among Zimbabwean migrants in Johannesburg

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Periodical article

Title:	The uses of social capital among Zimbabwean migrants in Johannesburg
Author:	Hungwe, Chipo
Year:	2015
Periodical:	Africa Review: Journal of African Studies Association of India (ISSN 0974-4061)
Volume:	7
Issue:	2
Pages:	121-133
Language:	English
Geographic term:	South Africa
Subjects:	Zimbabweans immigrants social networks
External link:	https://doi.org/10.1080/09744053.2015.1030868
Abstract:	This paper analyses the role of family and church networks as sources of social capital in aiding migration, settlement and social integration of Zimbabwean migrants. It also shows how these networks sometimes inhibit migrant integration into the host community. The study was carried out among Zimbabwean migrants in Tembisa and Kempton Park in Johannesburg. This study adds to the growing literature on bonding and bridging social capital while at the same time revealing how social capital is both a blessing and blight to Zimbabwean migrants. This paper makes an important contribution to the literature by arguing that while sometimes migrant social integration is hindered by the activities of the host population (e.g. xenophobic attitudes among South African locals), in some cases, the migrants themselves could hinder their own social integration through their migrant social networks. The author argues that this is an unintended consequence of migrant family and religious networks. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]