This book addresses the important and under-studied subject of African migration. According to the United Nations at least one in three people are living outside their country of birth. On the African continent, mobility and migration have always been an integral part of life. Literature on migration has often overlooked Africa or narrowly focused on outward migration to Western countries. Written and edited by African scholars based on the continent, the book presents an alternative look at African migration. It analyses the motives for migration, the mechanisms of migration (differentiating between regular and irregular paths of exit), and the impact of migration on migrants, those they leave behind, and on both the host and sending countries.

The book consists of 10 chapters, including an introduction by the editors. The originality of this volume lies in its multiple case studies and diverse, intricate methodologies, including original surveys and ethnographic/investigative methods. The chapters on transnational politics of Ghanaians in the Netherlands and the UK, Cameroonians in Germany, and Kenyans in the USA reveal that migrant engagement in politics is influenced by multiple factors. Africans settling in Western countries face dual pressures: being outsiders (even those who have the legal right to remain); and needing to support their families back home. With the exception of those who emigrate to Europe via the sea, most Africans enter Western countries on some legal short- or long-term bases. However, for those on short-term visas, there is often no easy or clear path for permanent stays, forcing individuals who had been law-abiding to take risks. African migrants often have family responsibilities in the home country that make it impossible to exit the host country. A section on translational politics shows that the struggle for survival and legality often limits the ability of African migrants to engage in meaningful political mobilisation in both the host or home country. These case studies highlight the urgency for a global consensus on migration. They also show that a half century after independence, most African countries are failing to build sustainable economies. Poor economic conditions in African countries place African migrants at a greater risk of violence and abuse in host countries where their status (sometimes undocumented) makes it difficult to secure good jobs and seek protection against abuse.

Two chapters in particular are deserving of readers’ attention. First, Oski's chapter on repatriation of Nigerian migrants working in Ghana traces the marginalisation of African migrants back to colonial times. The struggles faced by Nigerian migrants in Ghana stand in contrast to the wealth accumulated by Western colonisers across Africa. In the post-colonial era, political challenges often exacerbated by climate change contribute to seasonal, low income migration between Ghana and Nigeria. Post-colonial low-skill, low-income migrants face the same challenges faced by colonial era migrants: they are often underpaid and abused by employers who prey on their desperate situations.

Second, Abutima's chapter on the education performance of children left behind is groundbreaking. The author finds that children of absent and yet involved parents tend to do well in school. They also find that children left in the care of supportive family tend to do well.

Tonah et al.’s edited volume is an important contribution because it reveals the challenges inherent to studying migration. Large quantitative studies tend to miss intricate patterns that can only be revealed by deep ethnographic work. However, our ability to generalise from case studies of one or two individuals is very limited. That said, the book provides scholars with important jumping off points to explore the issues discussed here with bigger samples and in more countries. The link between migration and development is not fully explored in the book in part because of data challenges and also the methodologies employed. The volume is a valuable read for those seeking to understand the various ways in which migration is changing community and family dynamics across the African continent.