BY DR. KIRSTIE KWARTENG
As Ghana seeks to increase its engagement with the diaspora, it is vital to understand how different segments of the Ghanaian diaspora relate to and engage with Ghana. This study on children of Ghanaian immigrants, also called second generation Ghanaians (SGGs), set out to discover how SGGs create and maintain their connections to Ghana, what drives them to create these connections, how they form their identities as Ghanaians born and raised outside of Ghana, and the implications this has for Ghana and the African diaspora. I led a qualitative research study from September 2018 to August 2019 where I interviewed and surveyed 54 SGGs: 22 in London, 21 in New York City and 11 in Accra. Additionally, I utilized participant observation and observed social media trends that were relevant to the target population.
Second generation Ghanaians have historically been an overlooked demographic in discussions and research on Ghanaian diaspora engagement. This is due to the notion that second generation Ghanaians are less engaged or uninterested in engaging with Ghana. However, based on the data from this research, and on my own experience as a second generation Ghanaian, I know this is not the case.
The study found that second generation Ghanaians are creating ties to Ghana and other Ghanaian diaspora communities through a variety of methods including Ghanaian media consumption, creating second generation Ghanaian community organizations, visiting Ghana, and relocating to Ghana. Participation in these methods are heavily influenced by the rise of the internet and social media.
The study also highlighted that identity plays a critical role in why second generation Ghanaians decide to establish ties, with factors such as being able to speak a Ghanaian language and their attachment to their Ghanaian ethnic identities playing an important role in how they form their identities. Lastly, the project found that second generation Ghanaians are creating economies based on their desire to connect with their cultural heritage, creating new forms of diaspora cultural capital.
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