“We Live Virtually, but Together”: Expanding the Social Remittance Discourse with Armenian Non-Migrants’ Perspectives

This article examines the complex nature of exchanges within social, political, and cultural remittances between Armenian migrants living abroad and their families and communities of origin. By focusing on both household and community levels, it highlights a two-way process: transfers from migrants to their home communities and, conversely, from these communities back to the migrants. Using examples from regions with different migration policies and economic conditions, including Russia, Europe, the United States, and Canada, the study provides a comprehensive view of these exchanges. Challenging the view of non-migrants as passive recipients, the article advocates for greater attention to the roles and experiences of non-migrants in transnational migration studies. By investigating the flow and influence of social remittances—ideas, practices, and social norms exchanged across borders—the study reveals how non-migrants participate in shaping transnational social ties. Moreover, we look at these connections from the perspective of migrants' integration into host societies. We argue that non-migrants not only receive but also send back social remittances, thereby influencing both their local and diaspora communities. This perspective highlights the transformative impact of transnational ties, not only for migrants but also for the broader community networks involved in these cross-border exchanges.