Public

Working Paper Series

Working paper series: Migration, translocality and development in times of climate change

The study of migration and translocality in times of climate change is central to the various sub-projects in our international consortium. Since the project started in August 2021, we have been examining drivers, practices, process and structures of migration from a variety of disciplinary and geographical perspectives, and have employed a range of methodological approaches. In this context, our research teams from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria and Germany have investigated environmental and social transformation and the climate change-migration nexus.
In our series, "Migration, translocality and development in times of climate change” we present the latest results, excerpts from our work, as well as interim results or outcomes of small-scale studies.

Climate change as a driver of migration? A comparative case study in eastern and northern Ghana. By Álvaro Pantaleón Osuna. Passau: Mitra|WA Working Paper Series. Volume 1

Vulnerabilities and capacities: Dealing with coastal flooding in Ghana´s Volta Region. By Klöpf, Tobias and Wehner Stefanie. Passau: Mitra|WA Working Paper Series. Volume 2

Socio-Economic Development and Migration in Rural Ghana. Report from Field Research in Amedzofe, Volta Region. By Bohnenkämper, Ronja; Fußeder, Christina; Emmanouilidis, Georgios; Emmert, Cornelia; Haberger, Mathias; Hartmann, Nils; Hohlfeldt, Leonie; Jäckel, Franziska; Körber, Janina; Listl, Johannes; Ostendorp, Falk; Pantaleon Osuna, Alvaro; Steinmetzer, Luzie; Thurl, Lena; Ungruhe, Christian; Wagener, Jonas; Wehner, Stefanie. Passau: Mitra|WA Working Paper Series. Volume 3

The Stone-Made Myth of Return: Translocality and Housing in Amedzofe. By Jäckel Franziska, Haberger Matthias (2025). Mitra|WA Working Paper Series. Volume 4

Does translocality influence climate change adaption of rural farming households? Evidence from Arochukwu, southeast Nigeria. By Ejiba, Ikenna V. ; Olajide, Adeola O. (2025): Mitra|WA Working Paper Series. Volume 5

Analysis of the practices, structures and processes of translocal mobility systems in Burkina Faso. By Compaore, Georges; Dabire, Bonayi Hubert; Sangli, Gabriel;Ameko Azianu, Komi; Minoungou, Abdoul Kader; Zoma, Vincent (2025). Mitra|WA Working Paper Series. Volume 6

Presentations

Ghana on the move: Photo exhibition at the University of Passau

Fort P

Fort U

Mosque

Port

Kicker

Agriculture

Truck Pusher

Animals

Volta Lake

Women

water

oil

The photographs were taken during the student field research in Ghana in March 2023.

Background information on the field trip, literature and authors is available here.

Publications

2025	Narh, J., Wehner S., Schmitt C. "Odum will take forever to grow": The political ecology of agroforestry in Ghana. Trees, Forests and People.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2024.100771
2024	Poku-Boansi, M., Blija, B.K., Anin-Yeboah, O.Y.A., Asibey, M.O. & Amponsah, O. (In press/forthcoming). The place of translocal networks in inclusive city development: A systematic review. Urban Governance. Vol 4, Iss. 4. pp. 340-350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ugj.2024.11.002.
2024	Blija, D.K., Asibey, M.O., Ababio, P.N., Amponsah, O., Poku-Boansi, M. & Amoako, C. A view of migrant women's “right to the city” through the lens of translocality. Cities 146 (2024) 104722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2023.104722
2024	Klöpf, T., Wehner, S. Vulnerabilities and capacities: Dealing with coastal flooding in Ghana´s Volta Region. In: Ungruhe, C., & Wehner, S. (eds.), Migration, translocality and development in times of climate change. Mitra\|WA Working Paper Series No 2. https://doi.org/10.15475/mitrawa.upa2
2024	Amponsah, E., Blija, D., Asibey, M.O., Amoako, C., Poku-Boansi, M. Transportation and Translocality in the Era of Climate Change and Sustainable Development. In: Adinyira, E., Amoako, C., Kwofie, T.E., Aigbavboa, C., Agyekum, K., Addy, M. (eds) Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Development in Africa's Changing Climate. ICIDA 2023. Springer, Cham. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-69606-0_7
2024	Pantaleon, A. (2024). Climate Migration as a driver of migration? A comparative case study in eastern and northern Ghana. In: Ungruhe, C., & Wehner, S. (eds.), Migration, translocality and development in times of climate change. Mitra\|WA Working Paper Series No 1. doi.org/10.15475/mitrawa.upa1
2024	Narh, J.: Progress, challenges and prospects of the modified Taungya system in Ghana. Agroforest Syst (2024). doi.org/10.1007/s10457-023-00947-8
2023	Narh, J.; Wehner, S.; Ungruhe, C.; Eberth, A. The Role of Translocal Practices in a Natural Climate Solution in Ghana. Climate2023, 11, 216. doi.org/10.3390/cli11110216
2023	Amponsah, E., Poku-Boansi, M., Amoako, C., Asibey M.O.: Transportation–Translocality Nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Implications for Sustainable Livelihoods and Development: A Systematic Review. Transportation in Development Economics9 (12).
2023	Ungruhe C. , Steinbrink M., Teye J.: Mobiles Westafrika. Kontinuitäten und Dynamiken von Migration in Zeiten klimatischer Veränderungen, Geographische Rundschau 75 (10). pp. 30–35.
2022	Teye K. J. (Ed.) Migration in West Africa: Spinger, Cham.
2022	Darby P., Esson J., Ungruhe C.: African Football Migration: Aspirations, Experiences and Trajectories. Manchester: Manchester University Press
2021	Ungruhe C.: Abseits der Krise. Migration, Jugend und soziale Teilhabe in Nordghana. In: M. Steinbrink, M. Gebauer und D. Anhuf (eds.), Afrika - ein Kontinent in Bewegung (Passauer Kontaktstudium Geographie 16). Passau: Universität Passau, pp. 93-100.
2021	Gebauer M., Steinbrink M.: Rurbane Pandemie: Pandemiebekämpfung, Stadt-Land-Beziehungen und translokale Lebensrealitäten in Südafrika. In: M. Steinbrink, M. Gebauer und D. Anhuf (eds.), Afrika - ein Kontinent in Bewegung (Passauer Kontaktstudium Geographie 16). Passau: Universität Passau, pp. 34-39.
2020	Steinbrink M., Niedenführ H.: Africa on the Move. Migration, Translocal Livelihoods and Rural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg.