Public PhD Defense of Alix Debray: UNU-CRIS PhD Fellow

This doctoral dissertation offers a comprehensive examination of the determinants and implications of mobility and immobility – the intersection of which is referred to as ‘(im)mobility’ – with a particular focus on their connections to broader processes of climate change, water resource challenges and human development. Expanding on traditional migration studies, it highlights the critical role of immobility in influencing well-being and development outcomes. The research employs a mixed-methods interdisciplinary approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses across multiple geographic scales.

Key contributions include:

1. an updated analysis of Global Trends on South-South migration, and the first Global Analysis of Staying Preferences, which challenges conventional migration theories by emphasizing the significant influence of community-level factors;
2. empirical evidence on Retain Factors and Staying Preferences in Climate-vulnerable West Africa and Irrigation as a Mitigator for Migration Intentions Following Drought in West Africa, underscoring the essential role of community institutions and agricultural income mechanisms - particularly irrigation - in sustaining rural livelihoods, especially among those highly vulnerable to climate change; and
3.  a nuanced exploration of the psychological and social dimensions of (involuntary) immobility, through Well-being Amid (Im)mobility Struggles: Youth’s Experiences in Casamance, Senegal and accompanying Policy Recommendations for Enhancing Capabilities of Senegalese Youth Navigating Immobility Challenges.

Complemented by insights from Central Africa, the dissertation concludes by recognizing immobility as an active and agential state with significant implications for well-being. It emphasizes the importance of integrated adaptation strategies and interdisciplinary research frameworks for advancing our understanding of (im)mobility, climate change, and water-related adaptation strategies.