Sustaining Livelihoods in Multi‐local Settings: Possible Theoretical Linkages Between Transnational Migration and Livelihood Studies

Abstract

Sustaining livelihoods in multi-local settings: possible theoretical linkages between transnational migration and livelihood studies Thieme , S Thieme , S (2008) Worldwide, an increasing number of people are diversifying their income sources through migration. This mobility in most cases involves only parts of the family migrating, and this results in people's livelihoods taking on a multi-local dimension. Scholars have been studying this increasing mobility and multi-locality by applying either a livelihoods approach or one of transnational migration, but they rarely combine the two. However, one major criticism of both approaches is that they do not make the link to other existing social theory and do not therefore permit any fundamental analysis of the relationship between the subject and society, the power relations within a society and the changes human mobility effects to power relations. To address this criticism, I shall discuss existing innovative research and propose Bourdieu's Theory of Practice as a means to fill this theoretical gap. Worldwide, an increasing number of people are diversifying their income sources through migration. This mobility in most cases involves only parts of the family migrating, and this results in people's livelihoods taking on a multi-local dimension. Scholars have been studying this increasing mobility and multi-locality by applying either a livelihoods approach or one of transnational migration, but they rarely combine the two. However, one major criticism of both approaches is that they do not make the link to other existing social theory and do not therefore permit any fundamental analysis of the relationship between the subject and society, the power relations within a society and the changes human mobility effects to power relations. To address this criticism, I shall discuss existing innovative research and propose Bourdieu's Theory of Practice as a means to fill this theoretical gap.

Livelihoods as social practices – re-energising livelihoods research with Bourdieu's theory of practice

“…The fieldspecific value of capital, and its devaluation in changing social fields, is most vividly illustrated in studies on international migration (see e.g. Thieme, 2008;Kelly and Lusis, 2006). A case in point is the work of Bauder (2003) who examines the exclusion of international migrant workers from upper-segment labour markets in Canada through the devaluation of their capital (e.g.…”

“…During the past few years an increasing number of researchers have applied Bourdieu's theory of practice in livelihoods research (see e.g. de Haan and Zoomers, 2005;Dör-fler et al, 2003;Etzold, 2013;Obrist et al, 2010;Sakdapolrak, 2010;Thieme, 2008;van Dijk, 2011). This article aims to synthesise insights from these contributions and explore the ways in which the analytical tools provided by Pierre Bourdieu can help enhance livelihoods analysis.…”

Mobility, multilocality and translocal development: changing livelihoods in the Karakoram

“…Despite of having received a wide range of criticism, which pointed out its theoretical and heuristic limitations, the approach is still considered by many as an indispensable tool for gaining a better understanding of rural (de Haan, 2012;de Haas, 2010;King, 2011;Mazibuko, 2012;Scoones, 2009; as well as urban (Farrington et al, 2002;Lohnert and Steinbrink, 2005;Rakodi, 1995Rakodi, , 2002 dynamics at the micro level. It is widely agreed on that the livelihood approach's weakness in conceptualizing (macro-) structural factors (Müller-Mahn and Verne, 2010;Scoones, 2009) and societal power relations beyond the realm of the household (de Haan, 2008(de Haan, , 2012 necessitates its complementation with other theoretical and analytical approaches (Bebbington and Batterbury, 2001;de Haan, 2012;Thieme, 2008;van Dijk, 2011).…”

“…Due to these drawbacks, livelihood studies had difficulties in dealing with the new mobilities in the rural periphery of the Global South. Attempts to broaden the scope of livelihood approaches by taking into account the increasingly multilocal network character of social units and their livelihood activities, have been made in concepts such as "multilocal livelihoods" (de Haan, 2008;de Haan and Zoomers, 2003;Elmhirst, 2012;Thieme, 2008), "translocal livelihoods" (Greiner, 2010(Greiner, , 2012Lohnert and Steinbrink, 2005;Long, 2008;Steinbrink, 2007 and "transnational livelihoods" (Bebbington and Batterbury, 2001). The common ground of these new concepts is a translocal and relational perspective on livelihoods as coordinated activities in social networks spreading far beyond the local sphere, and by this overcoming the "territorial trap" of classical livelihood approaches .…”

Taking migration seriously: what are the implications for gender and community forestry?

“…Seasonal and circular migration of some members of the household have become a mainstay strategy adopted to escape state policies and agrarian changes, diversify incomes, offset capital constraints, fulfill aspirations of a modern life and increasingly respond to growing economic, political and climate-related insecurities (Ashley and Maxwell 2001;Razavi 2003;Rigg 2005). One consequence has been that household incomes are sourced from multiple localities, often beyond rural boundaries (Thieme 2008). Research on gender and migration has long viewed migration as an inherently gendered process that has impacted considerably on the distribution of power between women and men at both the intra-and interhousehold levels.…”