2026-06-27 –, Room 304 PC Desk (Seats 36)
This study interrogates the dynamics of neocolonialism and the political economy of international remittances within the post-globalisation era, emphasising the paradox of closed borders and enduring global connections. Drawing on a qualitative research design, the study uses semi-structured interviews with 25 purposefully selected participants, including migrants, remittance recipients, policy experts, and financial actors across West Africa and Europe. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis, which enabled an in-depth exploration of structural patterns and subjective narratives. The study is theoretically situated within Dependency Theory and World-Systems Theory, which jointly elucidate how remittance flows reproduce asymmetric global relations, sustaining core-periphery dependencies under new neoliberal arrangements. Findings reveal that, despite restrictive border regimes, remittances function as conduits of both economic sustenance and structural dependency. Migrants operate within tightly regulated transnational financial architectures dominated by global institutions, reinforcing neocolonial hierarchies through differential access to capital and migration opportunities. At the domestic level, remittances mitigate poverty and strengthen household economies, regardless of whether they simultaneously enable state withdrawal from welfare provision, deepen fiscal dependency, and shape political patronage networks. Furthermore, restrictive border policies have not diminished global connections but have reconfigured them through digital financial technologies, informal networks, and transnational family strategies. The study concludes that the political economy of remittances in the post-globalisation era represents a continuation of colonial economic logics under contemporary neoliberal frameworks, necessitating critical policy interventions that foreground equity, sovereignty, and inclusive development.
Neocolonialism, Political Economy, Remittances, Post-Globalisation, Closed Borders
Aluko Abayomi John is a scholar of Political Science and Public Administration whose research engages with governance, political economy, migration, security, and knowledge production in Africa. He has served as a research assistant to leading academics and has presented at conferences on peace, conflict, and development. His recent works critically examine insurgency management, media and political violence, gender, and neocolonial economic structures. With several articles under review in Q1 and Q2 journals, he continues to contribute to interdisciplinary debates on African governance and global relations.