Global Journal of Sociology and Anthropology

ISSN 2756-3456

Global Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 6 (8), pp. 001-007, August, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Methodological pathways to kinship networks and international return migration

Olayinka Akanle* and Olutayo A. O.

Department of Sociology, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Accepted 09 July, 2017

Abstract

Although international migration has received significant attention in the literature, this is usually in respect of development and remittances. Methodological issues on the subject are very scarce more so relative to the interface of kinship and international return migration. Yet methodological issues remain crucial to useful understanding of the processes and dynamics of the problem. This article thus fills the gap by concentrating on methodological lacuna in the literature on this all important subject. The paper relied on the authors’ methodological experiences while undertaking research among international returnees and their kin in Nigeria and concludes that it is impossible to successfully research international migration, especially return, within kinship frameworks, for sustainable development in developing nations without deploying original, innovative nuanced and context specific research methodology like the one adopted in this article.

Key words: Research, methodology, return migration, kinship networks, Nigeria.