International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Research (IJECR) ISSN 2250-0006 Vol.

3, Issue 1, Mar 2013, 57-62 TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

SOCIAL CAPITAL AND SOCIAL NETWORK DEVELOPMENT THROUGH MIGRATION IN PAKISTAN

MUHAMMAD FAROOQ1, NAZIA MALIK2, KHIZHAR HAYAT3, HAMID ALI4 & ARSHAD HASHMI5
1,2

Assistant Professor of Sociology, Government College University, Jinnah Town, Faisalabad, Pakistan
3

Lecturer in Sociology, Government College University, Jinnah Town, Faisalabad, Pakistan

MPhil Scholar, Department of Sociology, Government College University, Jinnah Town, Faisalabad, Pakistan
5

Director Business incubation, University of Vetnary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan

ABSTRACT
This study was designed to measure the social capital and social network development through migration at origin and destination. This research paper proposes a framework that decomposes migrant social capital into resources (information or assistance with migration), sources (prior migrants), and recipients (potential migrants i.e. education and skill). Moreover, the remittances and interaction between migrant and non-migrant were the important tool for social network development and remove the misconception between the migrants and local people. The present study was carried out in two research areas i.e. Faisalabad city and four Tehsils of Faisalabad District. Three hundred interviews were conducted from eight circle areas of the city and three hundred respondents were taken from the eight villages, two villages from each Tehsil selected by simple random sampling technique. Probit estimation technique was used to test the four hypotheses. Probit model analysis proved that the migrants families were significantly improved their socio-economic status, gets the awareness of the surrounding areas and adopted the modern values in the urban as well as the rural areas of Pakistan.

KEYWORDS: Migration, Socio-Economic Status, Awareness of the Surrounding Areas, Modern Values Social
Network and Education of the Children

INTRODUCTION
Processes of migration are embedded in social networks and social capital, from sending households to migrants formal and informal associations at their destinations. These processes are often assumed to reduce individuals, households and economies vulnerabilities and thus attract policy-makers attention to migration management. However, social capital is a sociological concept, which refers getting the awareness regarding happening the social and economic events in the surrounding areas. It defines social capital as the norms and networks that enable collective action and assumes it to be critical for growth, equity, and poverty alleviation (Grootaert, 1998). This has been acknowledged with the observations of Tilly and Brown (1967) and Lomnitz (1977), the scholars of the 1970s emphasize the importance of kin and friendship networks in shaping and sustaining internal as well as international migration. Social network relationships mean interpersonal ties that influence in the migration process. Moreover, migrant networks are sets of interpersonal ties that link migrants, former migrants and non- migrants in origin and destination areas through the bonds of kinship, friendship and shared community origin (Massey, 1988). Another study conducted by Knowlton (1955), Litwak (1960), and Martin (1955) who were observed the influence of family and kinship in the migration process. Ben-Porath (1980) has formulated ideas concerning the functioning of what he calls the F-connection in exchange systems. The F-connection is families,

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friends and firms which expedite the process of migration and covered the risk. These networks play a crucial role in structuring population movement within and between countries and once established, a process of cumulative causation in set in train so that movement can become increasingly independent of the economic conditions that originally caused it. However, migrant social capital is commonly conceptualized as resources of information or assistance that individuals obtain through their social ties to prior migrants. These resources reduce the costs and risks of migrating for potential migrants. Various studies, on the Mexican-U.S. migration flows, have demonstrated how access to migrant social capital through household or community ties increases individuals likelihood of migrating (Curran, et al., 2005, Davis, et al., 2002; and winters, et al., 2001). Moreover, Family migration networks, or the presence of contacts of migrants with the host at destinations are consistently found to be among the most important variables driving migration, particularly to destinations that are associated with low migration costs, risks and providing information. In the case of rural Mexico toU.S. migration, assistance from family members already in the United States is often instrumental in financing new migration. These family contacts also lowered the psychic costs of living and working abroad and played an important role in providing information (Greenwood, 1971; Nelson, 1976; Massey et al., 1987). However, internal as well as international migration enhances vision and wisdom of the migrants about the surrounding areas and creates inspiration among them to live better life. Beside this, these types of migrations offer the better economic opportunities for the rural unemployed and underemployed individuals, and are associated with rising living standards and livelihood prospects at the household and community levels in rural areas as well as urban areas of Pakistan. In this way, migration can alleviate some of the socio-economic problems being faced by rural and urban communities in Pakistan. Migration may relieve labour market pressure and generate remittances that constitute an important source of foreign exchange and income for migrants families. Financial and human capital transfer occurring through return migration can have a positive impact as they help improve the quality of life back home and promote socioeconomic development. The rural people normally are engaged with hard jobs because they are healthy. Therefore, migrants in the industrial cities and abroad are involved mainly in service jobs, marginal workers and public sectors, and hence migration means transplanting surplus labour to the cities and abroad in order to improve the social capital and network relationship at origin and destination. This is commonly referred to as the healthy migrant effect, which may exist because those in good health can better cope with the difficulties and uncertainties associated with migration (Trager 2005). The social capital and social network relationship development and its impacts on migrants offspring development at origin as well as migrants settlement at destination is the focus of present research. The main objectives of the present study to evaluate those factors which are promoting the social capital and social network relationship among the migrants families.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

The present research was conducted in two research areas i.e. Faisalabad city and four Tehsils of Faisalabad District (Faisalabad, Jaranwala, Thandlianwala and Samundri). This choice was preceded by exploratory visits to ensure that these areas were the representatives of the studied issues. Both urban and rural areas consisted of eight circle areas from the city and eight villages from four tehsiles. In order to draw the sample from the Faisalabad city, a survey list maintained by Excise and Taxation Department had used as the sampling frame. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to draw the sample (Nachmias and Nachmias, 1992). At the first stage, Faisalabad city was selected which had already been divided into three Rating zones and thirty-eight circle areas by the Excise and Taxation Department on the basis of economic stratification. At the second stage, eight circle areas were selected through random sampling to observe regional perspective of migration. At the third stage, households were selected with the help of interviewers who had

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visited the research areas but the required information was collected wherever the migrants were living. Three hundred households were selected through random sampling technique. The respondents included the urban migrants who had migrated before 1990. Three hundred respondents were taken from the eight villages, two villages from each Tehsil selected by simple random sampling technique. Moreover, all the respondents were the head of household who were empowered to make the decisions. In order to get a comprehensive range of information, the study had used variety of resources and methods i.e. the Census 1998, District Faisalabad census report and Economic survey 2002-03. To get the information from the respondents, a well-designed questionnaire containing qualitative and quantitative questions was used. The Probit Analysis technique was used to draw the inferences. The Probit model equations are specified as given below: IMD = bo + b1 LHOLD + b2 MINAM + b3 EDU + b4 AGE + b5 FAMSIZ + b6 SOT + b7 SOCAPT + b8 SANT + b9

WOEMP + b10 POLTP IMO = bo + b1 LHOLD + b2 MINH + b3 SOCAPT + b4 HOUS + b5 IMPLS + b6 AGRIA + b7 WOEMP + b8 POLTP

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

This paper is focusing on the migration and its impacts on migrants and their families at destination as well as origin. Empirical studies about the social capital and social network development through migration are rare in Pakistan. Most of the available evidences rely on limited migration data from censuses and small scale survey. This is the comprehensive study at present which provides the empirical evidences, to establish the causal relationship of migration in order to provide meaningful information for policy imperatives. Probit estimation technique was used to test the hypotheses that need to be refuted and or accepted for meaningful policy imperatives to arrest the increasing trend of the internal and international migration. Under this analysis an advance econometric model is used (the statistical informations of this manuscript have given as table 1 and 2 in appendix). Table 1: Maximum Likelihood Estimates by Probit Model in the Urban Community Variables EDU SOCAPT SNWR WOEMP Coefficient .00006** .32995** .08569** .37238** Standard Error 0.19076 0.18503 0.04847 0.18654 Probability 0.053838 0.037276 0.038539 0.022954

Whereas: EDU means education of the migrants children, SOCAPT refers migrants awareness regarding happening the social and economic events in the surrounding areas, SNWR stands for social network relation and WOEMP symbol of women empowerment. Table 2: Maximum Likelihood Estimates by Probit Model in the Rural Community Variables Coefficient Standard Error Probability .08569** 0.04847 0.038539 EDU .51080*** 0.17719 0.001971 SOCAPT .27558* 0.17803 0.04082 SNWR .29209* 0.20929 0.081416 WOEMP * Indicate that the coefficient is significantly different from zero at 0.1-probability level **Indicate that the coefficient is significantly different from zero at 0.05-probability level ***Indicate that the coefficient is significantly different from zero at 0.01-probability level

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"The higher the rate of improvement of the social capital at destination and origin, the greater will be the impact of migration on the family The likelihood estimates confirmed (Table1-2) that the migrants families in both communities had concentrated on the schooling of their children in order to improve the social capital. Probit model showed that the coefficient was significant at 5% and 1% level in the urban as well as rural migrants. As the schooling of the children increased by one unit in the urban community, the probability to improve the social capita is .037276. In case of rural community, as the schooling of the children increased by one unit in the urban community, the probability to improve the social capital is .001971. These figures coincide with the findings of Kuhn (2006) showed that the emigration of fathers and male siblings often resulted in improvements in the education of children left behind in some rural areas in Bangladesh It is concluded that migrants families had paid maximum attention on the schooling of their children with regard to elevate the position of their families in the society. The higher the level of social network relationship among the migrants and their relatives and friends at destination, the lower the risk will be deported for migrants The likelihood estimates method confirmed (Table1-2) that majority of the migrants (in the urban as well as in the rural areas) reported that their relatives and friends were guided them at the time of arrival in the big cities as well as in the abroad. The coefficient of social network relationship after migration was significant at 1% level in the urban as well as in rural migrants. An additional increase in the relationship of social network by one unit, the probability of risk deporting of the migrants at destination was decreased by .038539 and 0.040820, respectively. The result showed that minimized the risk of deporting was the major source of attraction to the migrants in the rural areas, which had fascinated the rural people toward the act of migration. These findings are coincide with the findings of Massey (1988) who observed that migrant networks are sets of interpersonal ties that link migrants, former migrants and non- migrants in origin and destination areas through the bonds of kinship, friendship and shared community origin. The higher the rate of adaptation of the modern values at destination and origin, the greater will be the impact of migration on the family The likelihood estimates provides information (Table1-2) about the impacts of migration on the traditional values, which had emerged as the modern values in the family system in the shape of the women participation in the familys decision and women empowerment in the rural and urban communities in the migrants families. The womens empowerment coefficient was significant at 5% and 10% level in the urban as well as rural communities, respectively. The effect of modern value increases one unit, the probability of women empowerment in the urban community in the migrants families was enhanced by.022954. In case of rural community, the effect of modern value increases one unit, the probability of women empowerment in the urban community in the migrants families was enhanced by .081416. The result reflects that family institution is more democratic in the urban migrants as compared to migrants families left behind in the rural areas because traditional values prevail in the rural communities. It is conclude that migration can promote social mobility, economic independence and relative autonomy if their husband in the urban areas accompanies womens moves. This gives them more control over their familys matter or, at least, greater participation in family decision. However, it is empirically proved that the rate of adaptation of the modern values in the urban community were higher as compared to the rural community due to internal migration of any member of the family. The result of the rural community coincided with Lefebver (1985), the majority of the women reported that they did not experience any changes in their position in the household since their husbands departure. It is true that the head of the household gives his

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directions through letters about affairs, like the education of their children, the decisions to take in the agriculture, the strategy to follow.

CONCLUSIONS
Migration is usually associated with general economic and social development. In case of social capital, Probit model result shows that the coefficient is significant in the urban migrants and rural migrants because families in the urban as well as rural communities were improved the schooling of their children in order to improve the social capital, which elevate the position of their families in the society. The womens empowerment coefficient is significant at 5 and 10 percent level of significance in the urban as well as rural communities, respectively. The result reflects that family institution is more democratic in the urban migrants as compared to migrants families left behind in the rural areas because traditional values prevail in the rural communities. The rate of adaptation of the modern values in the rural community as a women empowerment in the familys decision is significant but impact of migration is very poor because migrants families were attached with their customs and traditions in the villages. The coefficient of political participation is significant at 5 percent level in the rural communities after the migration any member of the family but the coefficient of political participation is non-significant in the urban communities. It can prove particularly fruitful for migration research due to the significance of social networks in enabling migration as well as the relevance of the assumption that migration and remittances actually contribute to reduce individuals, households and even nations vulnerabilities. Thus, Probit model proves that the migrants have improved their social capital i.e. education of their children and personal skill regarding market demand either they settled in the urban areas or rural areas because maximum results were significant.

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