“Everyone is leaving, so am I”: the role of culture in shaping Migration Behaviour in Nepal

Abstract

Migration in some societies transcends mere economic considerations, becoming a culturally ingrained practice. Through an ethnographic study in Nepal, this research explores how migration aspirations are reproduced and transmitted across generations and social networks, creating a self-sustaining cycle, and forming a ‘culture of migration’. The study discusses, how the economic necessity, together with a pervasive Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), social comparisons, perceptions of relative deprivation, perceived social status, and stigma shape individual’s migration decisions, despite varying personal circumstances. These factors also collectively produce a cultural environment where migration is idealized, and the societal expectations lead individuals to stop exploring local opportunities but prioritize migration as a primary choice. This study broadens the understanding of migration decision-making beyond structural and economic frameworks, by emphasizing its cultural underpinnings, contributing to the growing discourse on migration studies in the Global South.