International migration and gendered dreams of youths in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

This paper discusses how the culture of migration influences the aspirations of undergraduate students in Tamil Nadu. Migration aspirations among Tamil youths may be influenced by strong historical and contemporary migration culture. Data for this study were collected by conducting in-depth interviews with 30 undergraduate students in Chennai. Findings were divided into three main themes: career-focused versus marriage-focused plans after graduation; escaping gendered and hierarchical relationships; and having a US-born child. The findings show that male students tended to focus on career and family obligations while female students focused on marriage migration. This study shows that a culture of migration, family obligation and the influence of traditional gender roles influence youths' migration dreams.