Paper short abstract:

This paper traces how anti-migration narratives among international students in three different African countries transform through online interaction with students from other countries.

Paper long abstract:

There is a flurry of research on all forms of migration to and from all corners of the world in this 'age of migration' (Miller and Castells, 1993). With the recurring narrative of Europe being flooded by migrants from Africa, an 'industry' of media, policy and academic activity has emerged around these movements (Schapendonk, 2018; Andersson 2014). There is no doubt that many Africans desire to migrate to other countries, but the disproportionate emphasis on intercontinental migration conceals the diversity of attitudes towards migration in the continent. This paper examines people who proactively avoid migration. More specifically, I consider Zimbabwean, Namibian and Nigerian students' reasoning for pursuing international distance education through the University of South Africa (UNISA). The data was collected through a mixed methods approach based on a survey of 1,295 students and 125 phone interviews with students in different African countries for the IDEAS research project (ideaspartnership.org), which have provided insights into the demographics of who the students are, but also their diverse reasons for choosing this distinct form of higher education and their experiences of it. The paper identifies anti-migration narratives among some of the students in these three countries, and simultaneously traces how such ideas can transform through online encounters with students from South Africa and other countries. Consequently, this paper argues that for some students, aspirations for migration within the continent emerge through 'international experiences' in situ, which challenge prevailing assumptions regarding African desires for Europe-bound migration.