Impacts of Labor Migration and Remittances on Household Dynamics: A Grounded Theory Study of the Kyrgyz Republic

In the face of rapid economic and social globalization, developing nations and agrarian societies increasingly are faced with dynamic political, social, environmental, and economic changes. Labor migration is but one of the... [ view full abstract ]

In the face of rapid economic and social globalization, developing nations and agrarian societies increasingly are faced with dynamic political, social, environmental, and economic changes. Labor migration is but one of the social systems in flux with this changing landscape. Domestic and international migration from rural to urban areas has pronounced effects on the communities, households, and family members that are left behind. Remittances, the money that is sent back by labor migrants to their former households, makes up one third of the gross domestic product of the Kyrgyz Republic. Naryn Oblast (province) is the least densely populated and the most ethnically homogenous of all of Kyrgyzstan’s Oblasts. Remittances and labor migration plays an important role in the local economies of the communities within Naryn Oblast. This distinct setting provides a unique exemplar for examining the effects of labor migration and remittances on household dynamics and livelihoods in the Kyrgyz Republic. In this study, we seek to inform a growing body of literature and critical research focusing on migration in Central Asia. The evolution of household dynamics and livelihood strategies in the wake of these economic and social changes is the focus of this research. Drawing on 45 in-depth interviews, the study utilizes a grounded theory approach in a qualitative analysis to examine the effects of labor migration on household dynamics in Kyrgyzstan. Contributing to a growing scholarly dialogue centered around contemporary international development, the new economics of labor migration, and life course centered migration analysis, the study also constructs a compelling narrative that reflects the complex and endearing realties that migrant households face in rural Kyrgyzstan. This study places the familial unit at the center of analysis. The livelihood strategies within transposed household social, economic, and labor dynamics, are highlighted with an accentuation on the processes of change. Migration effects on household prosperity and its duplicitous relationship with social, emotional, and behavioral hardships shed light on a complex and nuanced sociological area of inquiry. Insights into healthcare, education, marriage and gender structures, pastoral traditions, and community well-being are gained as we cast an analytical eye towards critical emerging issues in contemporary Central Asia.