A Filipino nurse with family in Manila, three intertwined lives in Mumbai, a ‘self-made’ man in Karachi and the journey of a woman in Hanoi. Through four compelling new animations, the MigrationRhythms project explores how migration shapes social mobility across generations.
Asia is at the heart of the global expansion of the middle class. But what fuels this transformation? How does internal and international migration contribute to families’ journeys into middle-classness over time?
The MigrationRhythms project has investigated these questions, uncovering the diverse roles migration plays in shaping upward mobility. Based on over a hundred family history interviews from Hanoi, Karachi, Manila and Mumbai, the research team has worked with storytelling organisation PositiveNegatives to produce four insightful animations.
Bringing Migration Stories to Life
To ensure accessibility and local relevance, PositiveNegatives, with the MigrationRhythms team, worked with local artists to create animations available in English and national languages. The comics these animations are based on are also available to download in English and local languages.
Key Themes from the Animations
- Mumbai: Migration for education, work and love unlocks opportunities across generations. The animation showcases Mumbai as a city of possibilities, illustrating how rural-to-urban migration improves living standards and helps people achieve their aspirations.
Watch the Mumbai animation here.
- Hanoi: Moving for better opportunities fosters confidence, independence and happiness – key elements of social mobility. This animation follows a woman in her 60’s, reflecting on her life, and that of her daughter and grandchild, and the intergenerational impact of migration.
Watch the Hanoi animation here.
- Karachi: How people live their lives today can in some ways be traced back through their family story, including in relation to inheriting homes. This story, set in a single home, traces three generations from the time of Partition to the present, illustrating how we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.
Watch the Karachi animation here.
- Manila: International labour migration can transform an entire family’s future prospects for upward social mobility. The Manila story follows a nurse who has worked abroad to support her family, illustrating the challenges and rewards of this path.
Watch the Manilla animation here.
“It’s been wonderful to experience how these animations have the power to bring our research to life!” said PRIO Research Professor and lead of the project, Marta Bivand Erdal. “We hope communicating research in this way can make it more accessible.”
Explore More
Discover more about the MigrationRhythms project and its publications on the PRIO website. Educational materials based on the animations are in development, and will be released later in 2025. Sign up here to receive updates from the project. The ‘Migration Rhythms in Trajectories of Upward Social Mobility in Asia’ project is funded by a European Research Council Starting Grant.
