Strangers in a strange land: Citizenship and the immigration debate in Lesotho

dc.contributor.authorAkokpari, John
dc.date.accessioned2016-10-26T10:44:49Z
dc.date.available2016-10-26T10:44:49Z
dc.date.issued2005
dc.description.abstractLesotho, a small sovereign country located within the borders of the Republic of South Africa, displays a paradox as regards immigration. It lacks the attributes of a typical receiving country, but it has been attractive to immigrants, especially from those countries in sub-Saharan Africa which are not members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Lesotho’s attraction to immigrants is explained largely by its ability to offer better remuneration for skilled workers than many non-SADC sub-Saharan African countries, and by its strategic location as an easy transit gate into South Africa, widely perceived as the ‘Europe’ of the continent. However, the influx of immigrants into Lesotho has generated a wave of anti-foreigner feelings among sections of the population and heightened the debate about the relevance of foreigners to national development. The paper reiterates the principal conventional arguments against immi- gration: that it compromises jobs, raises crime rates, intensifies the spread of diseases, undermines the homogeneity of the state and nation and exerts additional strain on the country’s already overstretched resources. Demonstrating the limits of these arguments, the paper argues that for Lesotho, grappling with unemployment and manpower shortages, immigration is an asset rather than a liability because it creates jobs, brings in skills that are otherwise in short supply and raises the country’s international profile and competitiveness.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationAkokpari, J. (2005). Strangers in a strange land: Citizenship and the immigration debate in Lesotho. <i>Development Southern Africa</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22313en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationAkokpari, John "Strangers in a strange land: Citizenship and the immigration debate in Lesotho." <i>Development Southern Africa</i> (2005) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22313en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationAkokpari, J. (2005). Strangers in a strange land: Citizenship and the immigration debate in Lesotho. Development Southern Africa, 22(1), 87-102.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0376-835Xen_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Akokpari, John AB - Lesotho, a small sovereign country located within the borders of the Republic of South Africa, displays a paradox as regards immigration. It lacks the attributes of a typical receiving country, but it has been attractive to immigrants, especially from those countries in sub-Saharan Africa which are not members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Lesotho’s attraction to immigrants is explained largely by its ability to offer better remuneration for skilled workers than many non-SADC sub-Saharan African countries, and by its strategic location as an easy transit gate into South Africa, widely perceived as the ‘Europe’ of the continent. However, the influx of immigrants into Lesotho has generated a wave of anti-foreigner feelings among sections of the population and heightened the debate about the relevance of foreigners to national development. The paper reiterates the principal conventional arguments against immi- gration: that it compromises jobs, raises crime rates, intensifies the spread of diseases, undermines the homogeneity of the state and nation and exerts additional strain on the country’s already overstretched resources. Demonstrating the limits of these arguments, the paper argues that for Lesotho, grappling with unemployment and manpower shortages, immigration is an asset rather than a liability because it creates jobs, brings in skills that are otherwise in short supply and raises the country’s international profile and competitiveness. DA - 2005 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1080/03768350500044511 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Development Southern Africa LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2005 SM - 0376-835X T1 - Strangers in a strange land: Citizenship and the immigration debate in Lesotho TI - Strangers in a strange land: Citizenship and the immigration debate in Lesotho UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22313 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/22313
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03768350500044511
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationAkokpari J. Strangers in a strange land: Citizenship and the immigration debate in Lesotho. Development Southern Africa. 2005; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22313.en_ZA
dc.languageengen_ZA
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Political Studiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceDevelopment Southern Africaen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cdsa20/current
dc.titleStrangers in a strange land: Citizenship and the immigration debate in Lesothoen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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