Issue 9 of Ìrìnkèrindò: a Journal of African Migration is in progress

Gbolade Omidiran's "No One in Sight"

My overworked and underpaid self is happy to announce that Issue 9 of Ìrìnkèrindò: a Journal of African Migration is in progress, a testament to tenacity and very much a labor of love, since I'm doing most of the work, while also teaching etc, etc. You can access three articles now and will be able to access the editorial and one more article by December 15.

These articles below are already online:

African Migrants in Post-Soviet Moscow: Adaptation and Integration in a Time of Radical Socio-Political Transformations 
by Dmitri M. Bondarenko of The Institute for African Studies,  Russian Academy of Sciences

Here's the abstract:
The changes since the breakup of the USSR have impacted African migrants’ social
composition, as well as their strategies and forms of adaptation and integration in the capital
city of Moscow. In this study, we discuss the factors influencing the choices of African
migrants, related to their background as Africans and to their perceptions of the receiving
society. We distinguish between two social groups of African migrants and argue that while
one group seeks integration into the Russian society, the other limits itself to mere adaptation
to life in Moscow.

Keywords: African migrants, community, diaspora, megacity, Moscow, socio-cultural
adaptation, socio-cultural integration
Want to read more?  Just click on the title above.

There's also
Exploring the Migration Experiences of Black Zimbabwean Women in the Greater Cincinnati Area
by Florence Nyemba of The University of Cincinnati, and
Lisa Vaughn of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Here's the abstract:
This article explores the migration experiences of Zimbabwean immigrant women living in the
Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area. It argues that despite the increased population of women
migrating, sometimes alone, in search of a better lifestyle, their unique experiences have
remained invisible in studies on migration. The study followed a participatory research approach
and used a photovoice method for data collection. Over a period of seven months, participants
took photographs that vividly captured their experiences. Implications from the findings and the
nature of the photovoice as a participatory approach for future research with Zimbabwean
immigrant women are presented.

Keywords: Migration, Zimbabwean women, photovoice, participatory research
Once again if you want to read more, just click on the title above.

Finally, there's

Socio-cultural Factors Influencing the Ebola Virus Disease-related Stigma among African Immigrants in the United States

by Guy-Lucien S. Whembolua of The Department of Africana Studies, University of Cincinnati,
Donaldson Conserve of Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, and
Daudet Ilunga Tshiswaka of the Department of Public Health, University of West Florida

Here's the abstract:
African immigrants, one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in the United States
(U.S.), face many unique challenges. Since December 2013, the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has
been claiming lives and altering the societies of origin of West and Central African immigrants.
Using the PEN-3 cultural model, a thematic analysis of mainstream U.S. news media was
conducted to assess the socio-cultural factors influencing EVD-related stigma experienced by
African immigrants. Results of this analysis revealed the perceptions and enabling/nurturing
factors that exacerbated or prevented EVD-related stigma. Future interventions designed to
address stigma experienced by African immigrants should include EVD-related stigma.

Keywords: Ebola, African immigrants, Stigma, Health

You can read the full article by clicking on the title above.

Look out for the full issue on December 15.

NO ONE IN SIGHT: The technique in this painting is called 'araism' , coined from the Yoruba word ara which literally means extraordinary patterns or motifs. Hence, this technique is characterized by different intricate patterns and motifs to give forms. Executed on a black canvas with the use of acrylic paints, the 24 by 48 inch painting was created in 2015.

DESCRIPTION: African villages are never devoid of people. When the young able bodies are away on their farms and most women are away at the market to sell their goods, there are still people around the streets, especially the very old and the very young ones. In a situation where there is no one in sight, definitely something must have gone awry that could have caused the total migration of the people - probably war, epidemic, or the town-crier delivering an urgent message from the king that a ritual is to be performed and everyone should stay indoors. This African street painting depicted with lots of houses on both left and right side and yet no human being is in sight! Definitely there are a lot of untold stories behind this unusual situation.

The artist whose work is featured in Ìrìnkèrindò: a Journal of African Migration is Paul Gbolade Omidiran, who had his art training at Obafemi Awolowo University Ile- Ife, Osun State, Nigeria where he received the B.A. and M.F.A degrees in 1995 and 2000 respectively. He has to his credit eight solos and several group exhibitions. He has exhibited in Lagos, Kenya, Germany, London and the U.S.A. In 2000, he set up a private studio where he now works as a full time studio artist. Gbolade has also executed a lot of commissioned artistic projects. Over the years, he has engaged cutting edge methods that explored the use of mixed media, and has now established a magical balance between painting, sculpture, and graphics. Gbolade is a member of Society of Nigerian Artists. He is married to a lawyer and blessed with children. He can be contacted at Omidiran Gallery, no 25, Ede road, a stone’s throw from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

Email: gboladeomidiran@yahoo.com
Phone: +234-8034031136
Website: www.gboladeomidiran.com