“Even if I am going to die, I must go”: Understanding the influence of predestination thinking on migration decision-making in the Gambia

Abstract

The existing migration sociology literature predominantly explains migration decision-making through rational frameworks (socioeconomic factors), often influenced by Western (scientific) bias, neglecting other relevant subjective factors. By relying on data collected through interviews with 60 potential migrants in the Gambia, I go beyond these socioeconomic explanations and identify a key ideational factor – predestination thinking – as an important factor that influences migration decision-making, especially concerning the perception of risk associated with irregular migration among potential migrants. This article demonstrates how predestination thinking influences different aspects of potential migrants' decision-making, including the decision to embark on an irregular migration trajectory, risk assessment, and the nature of family support provided to a potential migrant. I argue that non-conventional, intangible factors such as predestination thinking cannot be neglected when explaining migration decision-making, especially in societies with embedded belief systems. This article contributes to a more nuanced and holistic understanding of migration decision-making beyond Western-centred perspectives.