ABSTRACT
Indonesian transnational female domestic workers have been labeled as “the heroes of remittance.” The label has been approached to present pseudo heroization of migrant workers by both the state and society. These female migrant domestic workers also deal with the narrative of “part of the family” that also becomes mainstream. This paper analyzes the impacts of both narratives on the social and work conditions of female migrant domestic workers. I observe how their responses toward the dominant narrative reflect their agentive capacity in challenging the mainstream and hegemonic narratives as well as in providing the alternative ones. I argue that personal story plays a crucial role in expressing personhood, identities, and personal position among Indonesian female domestic workers in Singapore and Hong Kong vis-a-vis the dominant narratives, in this case, of “the heroes of remittance” and “part of the family.”
