Johanna Gereke (MZES University of Mannheim) (webinar)

“Supernatural beliefs predict high-risk migration behavior”

Abstract: High-risk migration across the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa to Europe has become a steady phenomenon of international migration in recent years. However, little is known about migrants’ risk perceptions of dying during the journey and how ideational factors, such as spiritual beliefs shape their migration decisions. Based on a large-scale longitudinal data collection in The Gambia, we provide evidence that aspiring migrants are well aware of the risk of dying but beliefs in spiritual protection by consulting a local “healer” reduces the perceived risk of dying on the journey. Strikingly, we find strong evidence that reduced risk perceptions predict actual migration behavior.