Social remittances and interpersonal communication: Moldovans in Prague and Turin

Abstract

The authors contribute to filling a gap that exists in the knowledge of personal communications and their interaction with social remittances. Moldovans in Prague, Czechia, and Turin, Italy, and communications with their families and peers in Moldova are studied using our own survey data (from 2017/2018 – N = 203 in Prague and N = 206 in Turin, factor analysis used). We argue that there is a close relationship between interpersonal communication topics (while themes linked to everyday activities dominate over serious broader structural and institutional domestic or “global issues”) and real social remittances. Particular communication topics have their typical bearers in relation to age, gender, and education. The geographical context matters. Prague attracted Moldovans who stay abroad for a shorter time and are less educated, less integrated, and more transnational than those in Turin. Hence, Prague Moldovans communicate more and also transfer more social remittances. However, the overall impact of these social remittances upon Moldova is small.