| dc.description.abstract | This study aims to understand the social factors that influence women's decisions
to return as legal Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) more than once. The
phenomenon of repeated migration in Talawi District, Batu Bara Regency, is not
solely driven by economic needs, but also shaped by social pressures, marital
status, cultural stereotypes, and family relationship dynamics. This research
employs a qualitative approach using a phenomenological method to explore the
lived experiences of women who have legally migrated abroad more than once.
Data were collected through in-depth interviews with ten female informants who
had worked abroad legally two or more times. Bowen Family Systems Theory was
used to analyze the emotional relationship patterns within families that contribute
to migration decisions. The findings reveal several non-economic determinants
influencing repeated legal migration. These include family pressure to support
household income, being single or widowed women who often face social
marginalization, and positive and beneficial experiences during their first
migration, which encouraged a desire to return abroad. Additionally, the ease of
access to formal labor agencies and the influence of social media particularly the
phenomenon of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) further reinforce the motivation for
repeat migration. Bowen’s theory explains that family projection processes,
nuclear family emotional systems, and multigenerational transmission processes
significantly contribute to women's repeated migration decisions. This study
concludes that repeated legal migration is not merely an economic strategy, but
also a response to the social and emotional realities faced by women. | en_US |
