Paper short abstract:

In this paper I argue that the deportees, as “new” actors of Cape Verdean diaspora, break the image of the “wealthy emigrant”, mainly because they are associated with criminality and youth violence.

Paper long abstract:

Emigration is an important part of the Cape Verdean social "DNA" and it has always been one of the main springboards for social mobility for the Cape Verdeans. The Cape Verdean diaspora is associated with images and narratives of success, both in the host countries, where Cape Verdeans are mostly known as hardworking, and in Cape Verde, where emigrants (in vacation or returnees) show signs of economic prosperity. However, in recent years, a growing number of Cape Verdean deportees from European countries and the United States brought new inputs to this narrative of success. In this paper I argue that the deportees, as "new" actors of Cape Verdean diaspora, break the image of the "wealthy emigrant", mainly because they are associated with criminality and youth violence.