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From Left-Behind Children to Youth Labor Migrants: The Impact of Household Networks, Gendered Migration, and Relay Migration in Southeast Asia

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  • Cheng Chow

    (Department of Social Work and Social Administrations, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Xiaochen Zhou

    (Department of Social Work and Social Administrations, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Yao Fu

    (Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Aree Jampaklay

    (Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon 4 Road, Salaya 73170, Thailand)

  • Lucy P. Jordan

    (Department of Social Work and Social Administrations, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

Abstract

Do children with migrant parents or migrant family members have a greater likelihood of migration as they reach adulthood? Three possible patterns of youth migration are examined in this study: (1) network migration, when families migrating first pave the way for subsequent generations to follow; (2) gendered migration, where the gender of migrant parents and left-behind children influences the probability of youth migration; and (3) relay migration, which involves transgenerational migration switching within a family. We use data collected from Thailand in 2008/2010 (Wave 1) and tracked in 2019 (Wave 2) to understand how the migration of parents and other family members influenced youth migration in 2019. Within the network effect, household migration was one of the driving forces behind youth migration, while mother-involved migration appeared to be strongly associated with youth labor migration, especially among males. There is, however, no evidence that return migration, whether parental or non-parental in the same household, was associated with an increased likelihood of youth labor migration. This study demonstrates the relative strength of network effects of household migration when compared to relay migration on youth migration. The findings also highlight the complexity of gender-based migration in the Thai context. This research contributes to the larger field of left-behind children and youth migration by establishing the transition between these two roles and illustrating different reasons for migration in sending countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Cheng Chow & Xiaochen Zhou & Yao Fu & Aree Jampaklay & Lucy P. Jordan, 2023. "From Left-Behind Children to Youth Labor Migrants: The Impact of Household Networks, Gendered Migration, and Relay Migration in Southeast Asia," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-22, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:12:y:2023:i:3:p:135-:d:1082484
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chang, Hongqin & Dong, Xiao-yuan & MacPhail, Fiona, 2011. "Labor Migration and Time Use Patterns of the Left-behind Children and Elderly in Rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 2199-2210.
    2. Abramitzky, Ran & Boustan, Leah Platt & Eriksson, Katherine, 2013. "Have the poor always been less likely to migrate? Evidence from inheritance practices during the age of mass migration," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 2-14.
    3. Filiz Garip, 2014. "The Impact of Migration and Remittances on Wealth Accumulation and Distribution in Rural Thailand," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(2), pages 673-698, April.
    4. Oded Stark & J. Taylor, 1989. "Relative deprivation and international migration oded stark," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 26(1), pages 1-14, February.
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