Semester of Graduation
Fall 2025
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Degree Name
International Conflict Management
Department
SCMPD
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Darina Lepadatu
Second Advisor
Seneca Vaught
Third Advisor
Adebayo Akanmu
Fourth Advisor
Uddipana Goswami
Abstract
Despite growing Black African immigration to the U.S. South, dominant integration frameworks overlook historical and cultural contexts shaping recent African migration. As a result, the distinct stories, dynamics, and post-migration strategies of this population are often silenced. This dissertation addresses this gap by examining first-generation sub-Saharan African immigrants’ lived experiences in Atlanta, Georgia, focusing on how these intersecting identities: race, gender, migration motivation, and geopolitical identity affect their experiences of social inclusion. Through semi-structured interviews with 24 participants, 10 conflict-generated migrants, and 14 voluntary migrants, this study centers participants’ epistemic sovereignty in defining social inclusion. Findings reveal that social inclusion is an ongoing negotiation mediated by structural barriers and everyday interactions. Participants’ hybrid identities functioned simultaneously as barriers and sources of resilience, requiring tripartite, strategic navigation between African heritage, American Blackness, and institutional expectations. Migration pathways significantly influenced inclusion strategies: conflict-affected immigrants prioritized safety and community cohesion, while voluntary migrants emphasized professional advancement. Across experiences, participants employed cultural balancing, selective adaptation, and code-switching to maintain identity while negotiating inclusion in the U.S. South. This research makes three key contributions: (a) it applies decolonial feminist epistemology to African migration to the US South; (b) it demonstrates that social inclusion requires context-specific, intersectional approaches rather than universal models; and (c) it positions the U.S. South as a unique site where historical racial legacies intersect with contemporary immigrant negotiations. The study reimagines immigrant belonging through frameworks that honor transnational attachments and acknowledge the different dynamics of conflict-generated versus voluntary migration to the US.
Included in
African Studies Commons, Community-Based Research Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Migration Studies Commons, Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons