"HE COULD NOT ATTEND THE FUNERAL OF HIS MOTHER. SO, WHAT IS LIFE?": THE EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES OF THE FAMILIES OF IRREGULAR MIGRANTS LIVING BEHIND IN DISTRICT GUJRAT, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The current study uses a constructivist epistemological stance and a qualitative research design. This research aims to explore the emotional experiences of the family members of irregular emigrants left behind in the rural areas of district Gujrat, Pakistan. This study is a part of a larger research project. The present research's target population comprises the male family members of the irregular emigrants in the rural areas of district Gujrat. For the present study, a snowball sampling technique has been used to select the respondents because it was complicated to identify irregular emigrants due to their hidden nature. In the first phase of the data collection, some male family members of the emigrants were contacted working in a public sector organization in district Gujrat with the principal researcher. Later on, these initial contacts facilitated the chief researcher to approach various family members of the irregular emigrants in the peripheral villages of Gujrat city. The fieldwork comprised in-depth interviews that were started with a broader discussion on the issue of irregular migration. The initial four in-depth interviews were analyzed parallel, and it led to the emergence of new themes for further interviews. A total of thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted until saturation. Three major themes emerged at the time of border crossing, family gatherings on social events and advice for the aspirants' migrants. Keywords: Irregular Migration, Emotions, Family Left Behind, Border Crossing, Pakistan.