Christal Spel - MIASA - Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa

Christal O. Spel is an early career researcher with growing expertise in African migration, research experience on migrants’ wellbeing, migration management in South Africa and cooperatives and micro-business development in Nigeria. She holds a Ph.D. in Social and Public Policy from the University of Helsinki, Finland, and an MSc in Development and International Cooperation from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. In the course of her career, she had worked to bridge theory with societal development through her work with migrant advocacy NGOs and short essays for a non-academic audience via internet publications for organizations such as AU, Voices- Global South Studies Centre, Cologne and Knowledge Platform on Inclusive Development Policies, NL. Dr Spel has collaborated with several African migration experts in edited book projects – 5 chapters in 5 books, of which 2 were peer reviewed. Her current project examines the immigration governance of African migrants’ access to social services in Ghana and Kenya.

MIASA Project: GOVERNING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS OF VULNERABLE MIGRANTS IN THE CONTEXT OF AFRICAN REGIONAL INTEGRATION: Policies and Access to livelihood, Education and Health in Ghana and Kenya

This study is focused on the social and economic rights of vulnerable African migrants from the perspective of African Regional Integration. It examines how the host country regulates African migrants access to social and economic opportunities. It utilizes three concepts (informality, social protection and vulnerability) to understand the state’s response as it navigates increasing immigration, constraints in macro resources and increasing awareness of the rights of migrants. Data will be collected from interviews, documents and social media.

Year:
2020/2021