Local Communities and the Joint Construction of Aspirations and Capabilities among Prospective Indonesian Migrant Workers

  • #Other Publications and Papers

While social networks are widely recognized in international labor migration, the role of local communities in shaping migration agency remains under-theorized. This study examines how village communities in Indonesia influence migration aspirations and capabilities, arguing that agency is jointly constructed through spatial and symbolic practices rather than residing in individuals. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and semi-structured interviews, the findings show that family-centered values, symbolic housing, and linguistic and non-linguistic information sharing shape aspirations, while financial support, intermediaries, and migration literacy enable capabilities. This study extends existing migration theories by proposing “jointly constructed agency” as a conceptual lens for understanding migration decision-making in Asian contexts.

Author
ASAI Akiko
Date of issuance
March 2026
Journal
J. F. Oberlin University Journal of Advanced Research. Humanities
Volume Number 6
Language
Japanese
Number of pages
16
Related areas
  • #Asia
Topics
  • #Migration and refugee issues
Research area
Development Cooperation Strategies
ISSN
2436-2689
Research project

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