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Migration, masculinity and social class:Insights from Pikine, SenegalSebastian Prothmann*ABSTRACTIn the shattered economy of Dakar, many young men feel stuck in prolonged bachelorhood.Handed-down role expectations can often not be met due to dire economic prospects. Drawingon fieldwork in Pikine, an urban area within the Dakar region of Senegal, between 2011 and2013, this article reflects upon the relation between risk, migration, social class and masculinity.Through migration to unknown destinations and by enduring the many challenges andhardships associated with it, in the hope of eventually reaching a higher social class uponreturn, young men wish to fix and rewrite their masculine identities. To pursue this aim eventhe oddest job in Europe becomes acceptable. At home, however, many work opportunities areconsidered to be beneath their social class. Most male urbanites seek jobs that are rewardedwith respect and authority, and often assemble their choices about pursuing certain incomegeneratingactivities considering notions of class.* Independent researcher, Nuremberg© 2017 The AuthorInternational Migration © 2017 IOMInternational MigrationPublished by John Wiley &#38; Sons Ltd. ISSN 0020-7985