Home > Archive > Volume 65, No. 2 > This paper

Being a Family Member: South Africans of Indian Descent and Their Perceptions on Migration and the Family Structure

Soomaya Khan

10.46469/mq.2024.65.2.8

Published: 2024/12/01

Abstract

This study examines how the decision to migrate can impact on Indian families and households in South Africa and how migration decisions are made. Through the use of in-depth interviews, the study explores how migration changes/alters the family structure, what facilitates the decision to migrate, and migration’s impact on household relations. This is a qualitative study for which a sample of 20 Indian male and female medical graduates were recruited. Even though many medical graduates from South Africa emigrate, they can still maintain family ties even in this age of globalization. The study revealed that in the context of family relations, the decision to migrate in certain instances may not be a purely individual one, but families play a crucial role in the decision-making process. Keywords: Family, Migration, South Africa, Medical graduates

   Download PDF