{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4414596278","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-026-00633-6","title":"Most stay close, some go far: understanding migration distance in West Africa","display_name":"Most stay close, some go far: understanding migration distance in West Africa","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-03-13","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4414596278","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-026-00633-6"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1140/epjds/s13688-026-00633-6","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-026-00633-6","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2504380752","display_name":"EPJ Data Science","issn_l":"2193-1127","issn":["2193-1127"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319965","host_organization_name":"Springer Nature","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319965"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Springer Nature"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"EPJ Data Science","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["arxiv","crossref","datacite","doaj"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"gold","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-026-00633-6","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5106116025","display_name":"Irene Tafani","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I127077003","display_name":"IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca","ror":"https://ror.org/035gh3a49","country_code":"IT","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I127077003"]}],"countries":["IT"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Irene Tafani","raw_affiliation_strings":["AxES, IMT School for Advanced Studies, Lucca, 55100, Italy"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"AxES, IMT School for Advanced Studies, Lucca, 55100, Italy","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I127077003"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5082348124","display_name":"Ola Mohamed Ali","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6014-6621"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210112164","display_name":"Complexity Science Hub","ror":"https://ror.org/023dz9m50","country_code":"AT","type":"nonprofit","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210112164"]}],"countries":["AT"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ola Ali","raw_affiliation_strings":["Complexity Science Hub, Metternichgasse 8, 1030, Vienna, Austria"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Complexity Science Hub, Metternichgasse 8, 1030, Vienna, Austria","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210112164"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5016104509","display_name":"Rafael Prieto-Curiel","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0738-2633"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210112164","display_name":"Complexity Science Hub","ror":"https://ror.org/023dz9m50","country_code":"AT","type":"nonprofit","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210112164"]}],"countries":["AT"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Rafael Prieto-Curiel","raw_affiliation_strings":["Complexity Science Hub, Metternichgasse 8, 1030, Vienna, Austria"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Complexity Science Hub, Metternichgasse 8, 1030, Vienna, Austria","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210112164"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5082803450","display_name":"Massimo Riccaboni","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4979-8933"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I127077003","display_name":"IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca","ror":"https://ror.org/035gh3a49","country_code":"IT","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I127077003"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I2800920820","display_name":"Istituto Universitario di Studi Superiori di Pavia","ror":"https://ror.org/0290wsh42","country_code":"IT","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2800920820"]}],"countries":["IT"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Massimo Riccaboni","raw_affiliation_strings":["AxES, IMT School for Advanced Studies, Lucca, 55100, Italy","IUSS, Palazzo del Broletto, 27100, Pavia, Italy"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"AxES, IMT School for Advanced Studies, Lucca, 55100, Italy","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I127077003"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"IUSS, Palazzo del Broletto, 27100, Pavia, Italy","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I2800920820"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":2,"institutions_distinct_count":4,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5106116025"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I127077003"],"apc_list":{"value":1190,"currency":"GBP","value_usd":1459},"apc_paid":{"value":1190,"currency":"GBP","value_usd":1459},"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.00148239,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"15","issue":"1","first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10349","display_name":"Migration and Labor Dynamics","score":0.9472000002861023,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10349","display_name":"Migration and Labor Dynamics","score":0.9472000002861023,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/human-migration","display_name":"Human migration","score":0.7001000046730042},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/irregular-migration","display_name":"Irregular migration","score":0.5667999982833862},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/immigration","display_name":"Immigration","score":0.49939998984336853},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/distribution","display_name":"Distribution (mathematics)","score":0.49160000681877136},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/circular-migration","display_name":"Circular migration","score":0.41690000891685486},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/migration-studies","display_name":"Migration studies","score":0.40230000019073486},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/population","display_name":"Population","score":0.3626999855041504},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/internal-migration","display_name":"Internal migration","score":0.34540000557899475}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C170595211","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q177626","display_name":"Human migration","level":3,"score":0.7001000046730042},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780031633","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q856681","display_name":"Irregular migration","level":2,"score":0.5667999982833862},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26271046","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q187097","display_name":"Economic geography","level":1,"score":0.5608999729156494},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C4249254","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3044431","display_name":"Demographic economics","level":1,"score":0.5253999829292297},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C205649164","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1071","display_name":"Geography","level":0,"score":0.5159000158309937},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C70036468","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131288","display_name":"Immigration","level":2,"score":0.49939998984336853},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C110121322","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q865811","display_name":"Distribution (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.49160000681877136},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779946298","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q968580","display_name":"Circular migration","level":2,"score":0.41690000891685486},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C56283842","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1932514","display_name":"Migration studies","level":2,"score":0.40230000019073486},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C47768531","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1127188","display_name":"Development economics","level":1,"score":0.38850000500679016},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C17744445","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36442","display_name":"Political science","level":0,"score":0.36550000309944153},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2908647359","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2625603","display_name":"Population","level":2,"score":0.3626999855041504},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777917351","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q863941","display_name":"Internal migration","level":3,"score":0.34540000557899475},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2984309518","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181784","display_name":"Human trafficking","level":2,"score":0.3407000005245209},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781354955","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11920938","display_name":"Marital status","level":3,"score":0.33799999952316284},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C198477413","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7647069","display_name":"Survey data collection","level":2,"score":0.29649999737739563},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3020780746","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q27496","display_name":"Western europe","level":3,"score":0.295199990272522},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C21992297","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q733683","display_name":"Net migration rate","level":4,"score":0.29179999232292175},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C192209626","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190909","display_name":"Focus (optics)","level":2,"score":0.29179999232292175},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C50522688","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q189833","display_name":"Economic growth","level":1,"score":0.2759000062942505},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.27149999141693115},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C173145845","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131572","display_name":"Refugee","level":2,"score":0.2671999931335449},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3019876095","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15320003","display_name":"Migrant workers","level":2,"score":0.2554999887943268},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C19159745","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q828395","display_name":"Social policy","level":2,"score":0.25529998540878296},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C56995899","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1126687","display_name":"Focus group","level":2,"score":0.25220000743865967}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":4,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1140/epjds/s13688-026-00633-6","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-026-00633-6","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2504380752","display_name":"EPJ Data Science","issn_l":"2193-1127","issn":["2193-1127"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319965","host_organization_name":"Springer Nature","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319965"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Springer Nature"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"EPJ Data Science","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2509.10314","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.10314","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.10314","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4393918464","display_name":"ArXiv.org","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},{"id":"pmh:oai:doaj.org/article:b021513a1683459b97e61bfb139cfe2d","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doaj.org/article/b021513a1683459b97e61bfb139cfe2d","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306401280","display_name":"DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-sa","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-sa","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"EPJ Data Science, Vol 15, Iss 1 (2026)","raw_type":"article"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2509.10314","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2509.10314","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.1140/epjds/s13688-026-00633-6","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-026-00633-6","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2504380752","display_name":"EPJ Data Science","issn_l":"2193-1127","issn":["2193-1127"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319965","host_organization_name":"Springer Nature","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319965"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Springer Nature"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"EPJ Data Science","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/G4162963842","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"D63C22000400001","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320320300","funder_display_name":"European Commission"}],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320318434","display_name":"Bundesministerium f\u00fcr Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Energie, Mobilit\u00e4t, Innovation und Technologie","ror":null},{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320320300","display_name":"European Commission","ror":"https://ror.org/00k4n6c32"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/F7311471023","display_name":"NextGenerationEU","ror":null}],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":51,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W2402656841","https://openalex.org/W4213311105","https://openalex.org/W2118168910","https://openalex.org/W4386601897","https://openalex.org/W3013847853","https://openalex.org/W4200477719","https://openalex.org/W2943882609","https://openalex.org/W4402136156","https://openalex.org/W3107928073","https://openalex.org/W4401487911","https://openalex.org/W4412640960","https://openalex.org/W2006500135","https://openalex.org/W2941396427","https://openalex.org/W2084165499","https://openalex.org/W2023737649","https://openalex.org/W2334591607","https://openalex.org/W2100194699","https://openalex.org/W3122363245","https://openalex.org/W4312890214","https://openalex.org/W2006931710","https://openalex.org/W2760942449","https://openalex.org/W3212289337","https://openalex.org/W4383427311","https://openalex.org/W4386498947","https://openalex.org/W4400307768","https://openalex.org/W3183114109","https://openalex.org/W2080596926","https://openalex.org/W2188607613","https://openalex.org/W2057749242","https://openalex.org/W2935701649","https://openalex.org/W2071430052","https://openalex.org/W1532925228","https://openalex.org/W2060170529","https://openalex.org/W3024290817","https://openalex.org/W4220929221","https://openalex.org/W2091298963","https://openalex.org/W2156602783","https://openalex.org/W2063205901","https://openalex.org/W3177025554","https://openalex.org/W4295806947","https://openalex.org/W4294740857","https://openalex.org/W4396239306","https://openalex.org/W2911964244","https://openalex.org/W2295598076","https://openalex.org/W2136017337","https://openalex.org/W4321851560","https://openalex.org/W1984133550","https://openalex.org/W2276681799","https://openalex.org/W4402946947","https://openalex.org/W4410744823","https://openalex.org/W4220883946"],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Migration":[0,67],"distances":[1,238],"vary":[2],"widely":[3],"across":[4],"individuals":[5,139],"and":[6,43,70,109,114,126,165,193,228,245,268,275],"contexts,":[7],"yet":[8,149],"empirical":[9],"evidence":[10,270],"on":[11,28],"the":[12,24,40,63,90,111,162,171],"drivers":[13],"of":[14,23,135,175,262],"migration":[15,25,76,95,120,136,177,210,273],"distance":[16,96,121],"within":[17,39,143],"Africa":[18,267],"remains":[19],"limited.":[20],"While":[21],"much":[22],"literature":[26],"focuses":[27],"Western":[29],"destinations,":[30],"less":[31],"is":[32],"known":[33],"about":[34],"how":[35],"far":[36],"migrants":[37,180],"travel":[38,168,183],"African":[41,81],"continent":[42],"what":[44],"factors":[45],"are":[46,169,233],"associated":[47,117,234],"with":[48,118,204,214,235,253],"these":[49],"trajectories.":[50],"This":[51],"study":[52,258],"addresses":[53],"this":[54,257],"gap":[55],"using":[56,100,122],"a":[57,132,147,205],"large":[58],"micro-level":[59],"dataset":[60],"collected":[61],"by":[62],"International":[64],"Organization":[65],"for":[66,167],"between":[68,226],"2021":[69],"2023,":[71,212],"comprising":[72],"over":[73],"60,000":[74],"land-based":[75],"observations":[77],"from":[78],"eight":[79],"West":[80,266],"countries.":[82,220],"We":[83],"pursue":[84],"two":[85],"objectives.":[86],"First,":[87],"we":[88,107],"assess":[89],"extent":[91],"to":[92,182,272],"which":[93],"intended":[94,119,176],"can":[97],"be":[98],"predicted":[99],"information":[101],"available":[102],"at":[103],"transit":[104],"points.":[105],"Second,":[106],"identify":[108],"rank":[110],"key":[112,218],"individual":[113],"contextual":[115],"predictors":[116,174],"interpretable":[123,254],"machine":[124,255],"learning":[125],"statistical":[127],"models.":[128],"The":[129],"analysis":[130],"reveals":[131],"bimodal":[133],"distribution":[134],"distances:":[137],"most":[138,172],"move":[140],"locally,":[141],"typically":[142],"100":[144],"km,":[145],"while":[146],"smaller":[148],"significant":[150],"share":[151],"undertake":[152],"long-distance":[153,209],"journeys":[154],"exceeding":[155],"1500":[156],"km.":[157],"Employment":[158],"status,":[159],"GDP":[160],"(at":[161],"residence":[163],"locality)":[164],"reasons":[166],"among":[170],"influential":[173],"distance.":[178],"Unemployed":[179],"tend":[181],"significantly":[184],"farther":[185],"than":[186],"employed":[187],"individuals,":[188],"suggesting":[189],"persistent":[190],"economic":[191,227,231],"constraints":[192],"opportunity-seeking":[194],"behavior.":[195],"In":[196],"contrast,":[197],"conflict-related":[198],"mobility":[199,263],"shows":[200],"marked":[201],"temporal":[202],"variability":[203],"sharp":[206],"increase":[207],"in":[208,211,217,265,278],"coinciding":[213],"intensified":[215],"violence":[216],"origin":[219],"These":[221],"patterns":[222],"suggest":[223],"an":[224],"asymmetry":[225],"conflict-driven":[229],"mobility:":[230],"pressures":[232],"relatively":[236],"stable":[237],"traveled,":[239],"whereas":[240],"conflict":[241],"introduces":[242],"greater":[243],"volatility":[244],"route":[246],"reconfiguration.":[247],"By":[248],"combining":[249],"rare":[250],"field":[251],"data":[252],"learning,":[256],"advances":[259],"quantitative":[260],"understanding":[261],"dynamics":[264],"provides":[269],"relevant":[271],"forecasting":[274],"humanitarian":[276],"policy":[277],"underrepresented":[279],"regions.":[280]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-05-08T15:41:06.802602","created_date":"2025-09-29T00:00:00"}