Capitalizing on Translocal Affiliations: Configuring Capital in Returnee Entrepreneurship

Amanda Haarman*, Thilde Langevang

*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

In this article, we examine how returnee entrepreneurs seek to capitalize on translocal affiliations by deploying different forms of capital in their business practices. Based on a case study of returnees in Ghana's creative industries, the article identifies three practices through which entrepreneurs configure capital to seize opportunities and deal with challenges of running a business as a returnee. The practice of compensating encompasses efforts at compensating for encountered obstacles in Ghana by taking advantage of unique translocal positions. Fusing involves creatively blending local and foreign aesthetics and business approaches, while switching implies adapting to social situations through changing bodily appearances and speech. The findings demonstrate that using capital back home is not merely a matter of transferring capital from abroad, but a translocal practice where capital is carefully configured. We highlight the importance of paying analytical attention to multiple sites of engagement and foreground African returnee entrepreneurs as transnational actors.
Original languageEnglish
JournalGlobal Networks: A Journal of Transnational Affairs
Volume21
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)703-722
Number of pages20
ISSN1470-2266
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2021

Bibliographical note

Published online: 23 September 2020.

Keywords

  • Bourdieu
  • Capital
  • Ghana
  • Returnee entrepreneurship
  • Translocal

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