Bridging Borders, Building Lives: Social Integration of Interstate Migrant Workers in Kerala, India

Abstract

Emigration and resultant labour shortage has attracted large influx of internal migrants to Kerala. Integration of the domestic migrants in to the local society of Kerala became one of the crucial challenges of the state in the present scenario. The present study examines the integration of interstate migrant workers in Kerala, India. The study takes in to account the factors that facilitate or hinder their inclusion into local communities. This research hopes to contribute a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics of migration and social integration in Kerala. The study mainly depended on primary data collected from 400 male migrant workers by multi stage sampling.  The findings reveal that while migrant workers engage in various leisure activities, their social media use is limited. The study also highlights the existence of barriers to integrating with the local community, with duration of stay in Kerala positively affecting contact with neighbors. Most workers have intimate friends in Kerala, but this varies by state of origin. The index of integration is 43, which suggests a medium level of integration between migrants and native residents.  The study's findings have implications for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers seeking to promote the social integration and well-being of interstate migrant workers in Kerala.