Angolan students in Lisbon’s universities: An anthropological overview of their motivations and subjective well-being

Abstract

In this article I present an anthropological analysis of well-being, focusing on the students from Angola that arrive to study in Lisbon’s universities. This study is not concerned with the measuring of objective indicators of well-being, but relies instead on the student’s own subjective evaluation of it. While acknowledging that the prospect of improving their living conditions is still a major motivation for most of these students, my intent is to also consider the importance of the pursuit of emotional well-being as a relevant factor for emigration. The article analyzes the relationship between motivations and subjective well-being, while taking into consideration the social and economic condition of these emmigrants.