Alfred Babo, an anthropologist and professor at Fairfield University, analyzes the persistence of xenophobia in Africa, where foreigners are often blamed for economic and social difficulties during times of crisis, according to France 24.
More than 80% of African labor migration occurs within the continent, yet migrants regularly face accusations related to employment, commerce, housing, or access to public services. This rejection occurs despite the pan-African ideal of free movement of people.
According to Babo, precariousness, inequalities, and political discourse play a key role in the social construction of the category “foreigner” and in the shift from hospitality to rejection.
He is also the author of “The ‘Foreigner’ in Côte d’Ivoire: Crises and Controversies Around a Social Category”, which explores these dynamics in a specific national context.
