Indirect Remittances: A Case Study of Originating Country

This paper sheds light on the unintended consequences of temporary migration from Eastern European by combining Merton’s functional analysis with Levitt’s work on social remittances. The article presents a juxtaposition of the non-material effects of earlier migration from Eastern European, dating from the turn of the twentieth century, with those of the contemporary era of migration from Eastern European since the 1990s. The analysis shows that some aspects, such as negotiating gender roles, the changing division of household labor, individualistic lifestyles, new skills and sources of social capital, and changing economic rationalities are constantly being transferred by migrants from destination to origin communities. Contemporary digital tools facilitate these transfers and contribute to changing norms and practices in Eastern European society. The article demonstrates that migration fulfils specific functions for particular sections of Eastern European society by replacing some functions of the communist state and by facilitating their adaptation to changing conditions.