(Re)embedding remittances into the lifeworlds of immigrants: contrasting social types

The study considers remittances as part of the lifeworlds of immigrants in multiple interactions with return intentions and communication at home. This is an alternative view of the standard approach of remittances as possible source of development or as a variable to be explained by family solidarities, investment projects or ground for return. The key dependent variable is home orientation of immigrants as measured in quantitative and typological terms, function of remittances, return intentions and communication behaviours. The typological analysis of home orientations diverges from the standard approach in terms of high or low clustering of cross-border activities. It argues for the fact that cross-border activities cluster together in different ways for specific social types. Three hypotheses – on collective deprivation in remitting money, survival– development–identification strategies of migrant’s families and higher relevance of home orientation compared to remittances behaviours – are tested by analysing two complementary data sets.