Kinship ties on the move: An introduction to the migratory journeys of kindred

Abstract

One of the main human factors recognized in the New Classical economy of labour market explanations is that families, extended families or even groups of neighbours might be involved in designing the migration path of one or more members of the group, so that the migrant, once settled in the host country, could help the others in their original country. It is only more recently that migration studies have recognized the gender dynamics involved in the processes of human mobility. The introduction of a gender perspective has allowed an exposure of previously invisible women in the scholarly studies on migrations. Recognizing the importance of a gender perspective this introduction shall tackle some of the terminologies used to talk about human mobility and discusses the inconvenience of using terms like family to describe conjugal ties, domestic arrangements and parental care in contexts of migration.