The thesis aims at investigating the phenomenon of the Lebanese diaspora in West Africa, in the time frame 1884-1992, going more specifically to understand the phenomenon studied with respect to the case of Ghana. The choice of such a theme for a thesis written at the end of the two years completed in the master's degree in "African and Asian Studies" aims at highlighting the connections (political, economic and social) that since the last quarter of the 19th century have linked in an unprecedented way the two areas on which the candidate has most focused during his studies, namely the Middle East and West Africa. In terms of sources, the thesis predominantly uses reference literature. Nevertheless, especially in the second part of the thesis, a not insignificant use is made of primary theses (interviews, observations and archival sources), collected during the two and a half months of research carried out in Accra, Ghana during a research-thesis period funded by the Erasmus Traineeship + program and made possible by an agreement between the University of Pavia and the Insitititue of African Studies of the University of Ghana, Accra. The thesis is divided into two parts (PART 1: CHAPTERS 1 and 2 - PART 2: CHAPTERS 3 and 4). In the first chapter, the historical, economic and political concauses that led to the formation of a migration phenomenon from the Eastern Mediterranean to West Africa are investigated. In the second chapter, the development of the diaspora in West Africa is analyzed, from the emergence of the first diasporic nuclei to the establishment of the Lebanese in the African colonial economy. The particular "state of exception" that defined the political status of the Lebanese in the colony is also duly accounted for. The third and fourth chapters are devoted to the case of Ghana, with respect to which the gap between the central economic role played by Lebanese communities in the country and their lack of political inclusion, first and foremost with respect to the issue of citizenship, which has only recently been opened up by more inclusive developments in the scope of dual citizenship.
La tesi si propone di indagare il fenomeno della diaspora libanese in Africa occidentale, nell'arco temporale 1884-1992, andando più specificamente ad intendere il fenomeno studiato rispetto al caso del Ghana. La scelta di tale tema per una tesi scritta al termine dei due anni svolti di laurea magistrale in "Studi dell'Africa e dell'Asia" ha l'obiettivo di mettere in luce le connessioni (politiche, economiche e sociali) che dall'ultimo quarto del XIX secolo hanno legato in maniera inedita le due aree sulle quali il candidato più si è concentrato durante il suo percorso di studi, vale a dire il Medio Oriente e l'Africa occidentale. Per quanto riguarda le fonti, la tesi utilizza in modo prevalente la letteratura di riferimento. Nonostante ciò, specie nella seconda parte dell'elaborato è fatto un uso non irrilevante di tesi di tipo primario (interviste, osservazioni e fonti d'archivio), raccolte durante i due mesi e mezzo di ricerca svolti ad Accra, Ghana durante un periodo di ricerca-tesi finanziato dal programma Erasmus Traineeship + e reso possibile da un accordo tra l'Università degli Studi di Pavia e l'Insititue of African Studies dell'Università del Ghana, Accra. La tesi si suddivide in due parti (PARTE 1: CAPITOLI 1 e 2 - PARTE 2: CAPITOLI 3 e 4). Nel primo capitolo si indagano le concause storiche, economiche e politiche che portarono alla formazione di un fenomeno migratorio dal Mediterraneo orientale all'Africa occidentale. Nel secondo capitolo, si analizza lo sviluppo della diaspora in Africa occidentale, dalla nascita dei primi nuclei diasporici fino all'affermazione dei libanesi nell'economia coloniale africana. Viene anche reso debitamente conto del particolare "stato d'eccezione" che definiva lo status politico dei libanesi in colonia. Il terzo ed il quarto capitolo sono dedicati al caso del Ghana, rispetto al quale si analizza, dai primi governi indipendenti sino ai giorni nostri, lo scarto esistente tra il ruolo di centralità economica avuto dalle comunità libanesi nel paese e la loro mancata inclusione politica, anzitutto per quanto riguarda la questione della cittadinanza, solo recentemente aperta da sviluppi più inclusivi in materia di doppia cittadinanza.
La diaspora libanese in Africa occidentale. Il caso del Ghana tra economia, cittadinanza e partecipazione politica.
FEROLETO, MARCO
2022/2023
Abstract
The thesis aims at investigating the phenomenon of the Lebanese diaspora in West Africa, in the time frame 1884-1992, going more specifically to understand the phenomenon studied with respect to the case of Ghana. The choice of such a theme for a thesis written at the end of the two years completed in the master's degree in "African and Asian Studies" aims at highlighting the connections (political, economic and social) that since the last quarter of the 19th century have linked in an unprecedented way the two areas on which the candidate has most focused during his studies, namely the Middle East and West Africa. In terms of sources, the thesis predominantly uses reference literature. Nevertheless, especially in the second part of the thesis, a not insignificant use is made of primary theses (interviews, observations and archival sources), collected during the two and a half months of research carried out in Accra, Ghana during a research-thesis period funded by the Erasmus Traineeship + program and made possible by an agreement between the University of Pavia and the Insitititue of African Studies of the University of Ghana, Accra. The thesis is divided into two parts (PART 1: CHAPTERS 1 and 2 - PART 2: CHAPTERS 3 and 4). In the first chapter, the historical, economic and political concauses that led to the formation of a migration phenomenon from the Eastern Mediterranean to West Africa are investigated. In the second chapter, the development of the diaspora in West Africa is analyzed, from the emergence of the first diasporic nuclei to the establishment of the Lebanese in the African colonial economy. The particular "state of exception" that defined the political status of the Lebanese in the colony is also duly accounted for. The third and fourth chapters are devoted to the case of Ghana, with respect to which the gap between the central economic role played by Lebanese communities in the country and their lack of political inclusion, first and foremost with respect to the issue of citizenship, which has only recently been opened up by more inclusive developments in the scope of dual citizenship.È consentito all'utente scaricare e condividere i documenti disponibili a testo pieno in UNITESI UNIPV nel rispetto della licenza Creative Commons del tipo CC BY NC ND.
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14239/3730