Forging Ties: Social Capital Utilization by Zimbabwean Social Workers in Britain

This article examines the characteristics of social ties that shape the migration experiences of Zimbabwean social workers in Britain. While contributing to the elaboration of the social capital concept, the article seeks to answer the following question: To what extent do Zimbabwean social workers generate, destroy or re-constitute social capital in trying to adapt to and progress with life in a foreign country? Conceptualizing social capital as a process rather than a state helps in understanding the extent to which Zimbabwean social workers have utilized three types of social capital namely bonding, bridging and linking social capital and how these have influenced their migration trajectories. The article contributes to the growing literature on the Zimbabwean diaspora while paying attention to the ‘invisible’ immigrant professionals. Research findings reveal how the Zimbabwean social workers have relied on more distant ties, linking social capital, to migrate instead of the commonly used bonding social capital. The agency of the social workers also shows in the way they abandon social capital that has become less beneficial in pursuit of more beneficial forms.