An Analytical Framework for Identifying and Classifying Migrants Who Intend to Return to Their Hometowns:

Using the “Hold” Concept

Abstract

    This paper proposes an analytical framework for identifying and classifying migrants who intend to return to or maintain affiliation with their hometowns as well as those who are likely to return to their hometowns. This new framework has been developed using the “hold” concept, which is derived from the study of dekasegi, migrant workers from the Tsugaru area of northern Japan. Although the findings of previous studies show that some urban migrants maintain close affiliations with their birthplace before and after moving to a new city, they fail to consider the effects of “hold,” which is the likelihood of return, on the decision-making process of urban migrants. I argue that it is important to recognize that there are urban migrants who might return to their hometowns.