Migrant Visions Abroad, at Home: Collective action towards local economic development

This research paper analyzes the process of shaping the role of migrant domestic workers as actors in local economic development. The analysis explores the potential, limits and conditions for migrant collective action towards LED to take place. As links are drawn between migrant collective action and community economic development, the heterogeneity of migrant domestic workers, and their negotiation of development visions are seen as initial factors that shape the process. This research paper looks at the use of microfinance as a strategy for collective action, discusses current practices of migrant workers that hint at their potential as actors in LED, as well as their motivations in supporting LED in their origin communities. Migrant collective action is characterized by the composition of ties, trust and embeddedness demonstrated by migrants, support organizations and networks. The findings reveal that an outcome of collective action is the striking diversity of economic activities undertaken by migrant workers, and explain how their interests in LED are sustained and how they further define their roles as actors in LED. The case demonstrates how local government, NGOs and CBOs in local communities can be similarly involved as LED actors, which is a reminder that migrant workers alone cannot be studied and that non-migrants should be examined as well, together with the broader development context in which mi¬gration takes place.