How Do Transnational Ties Shape Migration Aspirations?

People with family or friends abroad are more inclined to migrate. But why is this so? Perhaps people with transnational ties have a rosier view of life as a migrant, or maybe it is remittances, specifically, that work as tangible proof of opportunities abroad. Or perhaps subconscious comparisons with migrants result in lower satisfaction with life at present, which in turn stimulates migration aspirations. There are, in other words, a range of possible mechanisms that might explain why people with transnational ties are more likely to desire migrating. By means of a new conceptual framework and empirical analysis we seek to disentangle these mechanisms. We analyse survey data from three West African cities, collected in the context of research that also includes other methodologies. We find that, alongside mechanisms that make transnational ties stimulate migration aspirations, there are also forces working in the opposite direction.