1 - The Search for Prosperity among Transnational Families in East and West Java

Despite decades of migration as an engine of development dominating the rhetoric and policies of government and non-governmental actors, there remain gaps in knowledge about whether and how families achieve the goals of longer-term financial well-being.  One way to understand financial well-being within the transnational family is to examine the household dynamics of linked lives between migrants and their families in the origin countries, their wealth accumulation, savings and loans, and the use of remittances. This paper draws on three waves of the CHAMPSEA project to examine changes in income, assets and the use of remittances sent by migrant parents over a period of 15 years, from 2008 to 2023. We utilize survey data combined with in-depth interviews from the Indonesian field site to better explore the local dynamic aspects foregrounded in the call for abstracts. The unique longitudinal, mixed-method dataset allows for us to interrogate the state of progress towards achieving prosperity, through the lens of transnational migration and remittances.  The study findings provide insights into the achievements and challenges of contemporary transnational families as they seek better lives for the younger generations.

Co-Author 1
Kangli Wang, University of Hong Kong, Department of Social Work and Social Administration

Co-Author 2
Sukamdi, Universitas Gadja Mada, Faculty of Geography