Do Migrants Experiences of Home Change When They Leave Their Homelands - Essay Example

In What Ways and Due to Which Factors Do Migrants’ Experiences of Home Change When They Leave Their Homelands? Total Number of Words: 2,037 Introduction As of the 6th of November 2013, the Office for National Statistics reported that the net migration in UK is expected to increase 0.8 million (Office for National Statistics, 2013). Based on the 2012 statistical data, the net migration in the United Kingdom has reached a total of 165,000 (i.e. 143,500 in England, 6,000 in Wales, and 15,500 in Scotland) which was significantly lower as compared to 200,000 net migration total back in 2010 (i.e. 172,500 in England, 10,000 in Wales, and 17,500 in Scotland) (Office for National Statistics, 2013). Based on 2013 figures, the World Bank (2014) reported that the 900,000 net migration in the United Kingdom is significantly lower as compared to the 5,000,002 net migration in the United States. Each person has their own reasons for migrating to another place or another country (Bailey, 2008, p. 3). Among the common reasons for migrating are better work or employment opportunities (Parutis, 2014; Dako-Gyeke, 2013; Appave, 2008, p. 151; Bean, Gonzalez-Baker and Capps, 2001, pp. 669 - 703), adoption, marriage, retirement, or the need to accompany ageing parents (Appave, 2008, p. 151; Wray and Bartholomew, 2006). Specifically the main purpose of this essay is to discuss the migrants’ experiences of homeland change when they move abroad, and identify all factors that encourage migrants to leave their homelands. As part of going through discussion, the main purpose of this essay will be applied in the case of the United Kingdom and the United States. Migrants’ Experiences of Homeland Change When They Move Abroad In general, people’s experiences of their homeland change when they move abroad differ from one another. In most cases, the race and cultural identity of migrants tend to have strong effects on their overall experiences when they move abroad (Silva, 2009; Valdivia et al., 2008). In relation to homeland change, some immigrants may experience “cultural displacement” (Malkki, 1992, p. 25). It means that the cultural practices or religious beliefs of the immigrants tend to be totally different from the cultural practice or religious belief that is commonly being practiced by people who live in the country where they have decided to move. Even though there are some migrants who end up having a better life when they move to either the United States or the United Kingdom, some migrants may have a bad experience particularly with regard to cultural adjustment (Dako-Gyeke, 2013; Gupta and Ferguson, 1992). For example, when migrants move to either the United Kingdom or United States, it is expected that these people would experience some cultural adjustments to the available foods, fashion, religious beliefs, and other customs and traditions (Diakanwa, 2011). Furthermore, some migrants would encounter the challenge of having the need to move around unfamiliar places right when they move to a foreign land (Gupta and Ferguson, 1992). Gender issues can also affect the overall experiences of each migrant when they live abroad (Dako-Gyeke, 2013; Cerrutti and Massey, 2001). Right after moving in the United States, most female migrants had the tendency to easily accept relatively low-paying jobs at first but usually end-up having a better economic stability as compared to the male immigrants (Bean, Gonzalez-Baker and Capps, 2001, pp. 669 – 703). As compared to non-migrant male and female workers as well as male migrant workers, Balaz and Williams (2011) revealed that the female migrant workers in general show higher risks tolerance when living in a totally different place or region. As a common knowledge, each country has an immigration department that aims to control the in and out of people to avoid overpopulation and imbalances in the labour market (Hudson and Reno, 2000, p. 8). Because of the strict immigration laws, illegal migrants in the United States who were caught by the local authorities can be subject to imprisonment for 6 months period up to 2 years whereas people who were caught using marriage as a way to evade the immigration laws can be subject to pay the sum of US$250,000 or 5 years imprisonment (Cornell University Law School, 2014). As stated under sec. 24 of the Immigration Act 1971, illegal migrants in the United Kingdom who were caught entering the country without leaving can be subject 6 months imprisonment (The Crown Prosecution Service, 2014) whereas migrants who were caught using “sham” or “fake” marriages as an excuse to enter the territory of UK can also be subject to imprisonment (Home Office, 2013). Also related to illegal immigration, women who are unauthorized to work in another country are the ones who often experience gender discrimination and higher risks of becoming a victim of physical violence and sexual harassment (Dako-Gyeke, 2013; Kwankey et al., 2009; Jolly and Reeves, 2005). As compared to male migrant workers, female migrant workers who apply for domestic jobs can experience becoming a victim of human trafficking, exploitation, and abuse (Andrevski and Lyneham, 2014). As a result, some female migrant workers who were raped or being forced to work as prostitutes may end-up facing the health and social consequences of becoming infected with sexually transmitted infections (i.e. AIDS, syphilis, HIV, etc.) (Dako-Gyeke, 2013; Kwankye et al., 2007). Aside from cultural displacement and gender-related issues, there are also cases wherein some migrants would experience ethnic group and racial inequalities abroad (Cederberg, 2014). For example, Stevens, Hussein and Manthorpe (2011) mentioned that the migrant care workers in the United Kingdom are most likely to experience racial discrimination. In the case of the migrant workers in the United States, Diakanwa (2011, p. 9) explained that Chinatown and “Little Italy” in New York City, Chicago in Illinois, or Cleveland in Ohio are some specific geographical areas where most immigrants are likely to experience ethnic or racial discrimination. Earlier, it was mentioned that a common reason for moving to another country include better work or employment opportunities (Appave, 2008, p. 151). However, instead of being able to find a good paying job, there are some cases wherein people who immigrate to the U.S. would end up experiencing the socio-economic consequences of having a low-paying job (Bean, Gonzalez-Baker and Capps, 2001, pp. 669 - 703). After examining the employment experiences of Polish migrant workers in the United Kingdom’s hospitality sector, Janta et al. (2011) found out that most of the Polish migrant workers in this particular country often experience having a low paid job on top of the physically demanding tasks, poor working situation, and ethnic or race discrimination. Migrants who move abroad may experience difficulty finding a job or socializing with other people because of language barrier (Buchan, 2002; Madamba and Bruchey, 1998, p. 127). For example, Madamba and Bruchey (1998, p. 127) mentioned that it is common for non-English speaking Vietnamese migrants to experience difficulty in trying to look for a job in the United States. Likewise, Buchan (2002) revealed that most Spanish migrant workers who work as nurses in the United Kingdom have also experienced work-related problems due to language barriers. Because of their inability to find a job abroad, some migrants end-up experiencing living in poor housing condition and unclean environment (Dako-Gyeke, 2013; Kwankye et al., 2007). Other common experiences of migrants when they move abroad include: (1) experience working in poor working environment (Dako-Gyeke, 2013); (2) downgrading their mental and physical capacity to perform a given tasks (Parutis, 2014; Jolly and Reeves, 2005); and (3) receiving less support to their health and overall well-being (Wray and Bartholomew, 2006). In line with this, Parutis (2014) revealed that most migrant workers with outstanding qualifications often times experience having a low-skilled job in the United Kingdom. With regards to health and overall wellness, Bonizzoni (2014) revealed that it is normal for migrant workers to experience inequality particularly when it comes to having access to social care services in Eastern Europe. There are also some cases wherein migrant workers experience being exploited by being forced to work for very long hours with no pay (Andrevski and Lyneham, 2014). Because of long working hours, the family members of migrant workers who are left behind in their homeland can somehow feel neglected (i.e. wife and children) (Forson, 2013; Appave, 2008, p. 153). Migrants who are married and need to live abroad may expereince having a failed relationship because of the presence of a third party (Andrevski and Lyneham, 2014). All these negative life experiences explain why some migrants are forced to go back to their homeland (Long and Oxfeld, 2004, p. 8). Factors that Strongly Encourage Migrants to Leave their Homelands There are quite a lot of factors that strongly encourage the migrants to leave their homelands. In line with this, several studies have identified these factors as something that is strongly related to social, culture, civil war medical, economic, natural disasters, and religious matters among others (Parutis, 2014; Dako-Gyeke, 2013; Ghosh, 2009; Kwankey et al., 2009; Jolly and Reeves, 2005; Zachariah, Matthew and Rajan, 2001). Often times, natural disasters and war can lead to forced migration (Winland, 2007, p. 197). In some cases, migrant workers temporarily reside in the United Kingdom in order to explore the world and check out how it feels like to live in this country (Parutis, 2014). Often times, these factors can affect not only the migrants’ desire and willingness to stay in another place but also the length of time they move to another region (i.e. short-term or long-term), etc. (Dako-Gyeke, 2013). In general, both male and female migrants are strongly motivated to live in another place in search for better work opportunities to support their family members in their homelands (Ghosh, 2009; McKay, 2006; Jolly and Reeves, 2005). In line with this, Geist and McManus (2012) explained that there are cases wherein some migrants are strongly being forced to live in another place by non-economic purposes. Because of the differences in the gender roles between men and women, factors that encourage female migrants to move from one place to another may differ from the factors that encourage the male migrants to shift from one place to another (Dako-Gyeke, 2013). For example, some women who migrate to another place can happen out of the context of marriage (Dako-Gyeke, 2013). In some cases, there are some women who are forced to live in another place to be close to their husband who happen to have a better work opportunity in another state or region (Wray and Bartholomew, 2006). Conclusion and Recommendations Migrants’ experience of homeland change when they move abroad varies from one another. Even though migrating to another place can uplift the socio-economic life of most people, there are some migrant workers who end-up having negative experience while living in another country. There are cases wherein migrants would experience cultural displacement or cultural adjustments, facing the psychological impact of gender, ethnic and racial discrimination, and the need to accept low-paying jobs as a stepping stone for long-term career growth. Aside from the risks of human trafficking, abuse, and exploitation, migrant workers may also experience home-sickness from time-to-time time. Specifically the personal experiences of people who move abroad may vary depending on whether these people were able to enter the United States or United Kingdom in a legal way or not. In the case of illegal immigrants in the United States and United Kingdom, some people who try to enter these two countries without proper documentation would end up becoming a victim of physical violence, sexual harassment and the need to pay fine or at least 6 months of imprisonment when caught by the local immigration authorities. Because of the negative life experiences associated with homeland change, people should first consider the short-term and long-term consequences of their decision to live in another country. For married and single migrant workers who are feeling home-sick, it is highly recommended that this group of people should make full use of the modern technology to get in touch with their loved ones (i.e. long-distance call, Skype, social networking sites like Facebook, etc.). In the process of utilizing the available technology, migrant workers can reduce the risks of having a failed relationship, neglected children, and becoming infected with sexually transmitted diseases. To increase the chances of finding work in another region, it is highly recommended to first know more about the culture and language used in the migrants’ choice of destination. References Andrevski, H. and Lyneham, S. (2014, February). Experiences of exploitation and human trafficking among a sample of Indonesian migrant domestic workers. Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 471. [Online] Available at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi471.pdf [Accessed 21 May 2014]. Appave, G. (2008). World Migration 2008: Managing Labour Mobility in the Evolving Global Economy. Geneva: International Organization for Migration. Bailey, R. (2008). Immigration and Migration. NY: Infobase Publishing. Balaz, V. and Williams, A. (2011). Risk attitudes and migration experience. Journal of Risk Research, 14(5), pp. 583-596. Bean, F., Gonzalez-Baker, S. and Capps, R. (2001). Immigration and labor markets in the United States. In Berg, I and Kalleberg, A. (eds) "Sourcebook on labor markets: Evolving structures and processes". NY: Plenum. Bonizzoni, P. (2014). Immigrant Working Mothers Reconciling Work and Childcare: the Experience of Latin American and Eastern European Women in Milan. Social Politics, doi: 10.1093/sp/jxu008. Buchan, J. (2002, July). International recruitment of nurses: United Kingdom case study. [Online] Available at: http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/78544/001814.pdf [Accessed 25 May 2014]. Cederberg, M. (2014). Public Discourses and Migrant Stories of Integration and Inequality: Language and Power in Biographical Narratives. Sociology, 48(1), p. 133-149 . Cerrutti, M. and Massey, D. (2001). On the auspices of female migration from Mexico to the United States. Demography, 38(2), pp. 187-200. Dako-Gyeke, M. (2013). Conceptualization of Female Migrants’ Experiences across the Lifespan. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(3), pp. 259-266. Diakanwa, D. (2011, October). Adjusting and integration new immigrants in the American Cculture. North American Association of Christians in Social Work. [Online] Available at: http://www.nacsw.org/Publications/Proceedings2011/DiakanwaDIntegratingNewImmigrantsE.pdf [Accessed 25 May 2014]. Forson, C. (2013). Contextualising migrant black business womens work-life balance experiences. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 19(5), pp.460-477. Geistm, C. and McManus, P. (2012). Different reasons, different results: Implications of migration by gender and family status. Demography, 49(1), pp. 197-217. Ghosh, J. (2009). Migration and gender empowerment: Recent trends and emerging issues. United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report. Research Paper. Vol. 4. Gupta, A. and Ferguson, J. (1992). Beyond "Culture": Space, Identity, and the Politics of Difference. Cultural Anthropology, 7(1), pp. 6-23. Home Office. (2013, November). Sham marriages and civil partnership. [Online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/256257/Sham_Marriage_and_Civil_Partnerships.pdf [Accessed 28 May 2014]. Hudson, R. and Reno, F. (2000). Politics of identity: Migrants and minorities in multicultural states. Basingstoke: Macmillan. Janta, H., Ladkin, A., Brown, L. and Lugosi, P. (2011). Employment experiences of Polish migrant workers in the UK hospitality sector. Tourism Management, 32(5), pp. 1006-1019. Jolly, S. and Reeves, H. (2005). Gender and migration: Overview report. Brighton: Institute of Development Studies. Kwankye, S., Anarfi, J., Tagoe, C. and Castaldo, A. (2007). Coping strategies of independent child migrants from northern Ghana to southern cities. Brighton: Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty. Kwankye, S., Anarfi, J., Tagoe, C. and Castaldo, A. (2009). Independent North-South child migration in Ghana: The decision making process. Brighton: Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty. Long, L. and Oxfeld, E. (2004). Coming home? Refugees, migrants, and those who stayed behind. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Madamba, A. and Bruchey, S. (1998). Garland Studies in the History of American Labor. Pennsylvania State University. Malkki, L. (1992). National geographic: the rooting of peoples and the territorialization of national identity among scholars and refugees. Cultural Anthropology, 7(1), pp. 24-44. McKay, D. (2006). Translocal circulation: place and subjectivity in an extended Filipino community. The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology, 7(3), pp. 265-278. Office for National Statistics. (2013, November 6). National Population Projections, 2012-based Statistical Bulletin. [Online] Available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_334975.pdf [Accessed 21 May 2014]. Parutis, V. (2014). “Economic Migrants” or “Middling Transnationals”? East European Migrants’ Experiences of Work in the UK. International Migration, 52(1), pp. 36-55. Silva, K. (2009). Oh, give me a home: diasporic longings of home and belonging. Social Identities: Journal for the Study of Race, Nation and Culture, 15(5), pp. 693-706. Stevens, M., Hussein, S., & Manthorpe, J. (2011). Experiences of racism and discrimination among migrant care workers in England: findings from a mixed-methods research Project. Ethnic and Racial Studies. No. 1. DOI : 10.1080/01419870.2011.574714 . [Online] Available at: http://peer.ccsd.cnrs.fr/docs/00/70/95/54/PDF/PEER_stage2_10.1080%252F01419870.2011.574714.pdf [Accessed 25 May 2014]. The Crown Prosecution Service. (2014). Immigration. [Online] Available at: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/h_to_k/immigration/#entering [Accessed 28 May 2014]. Valdivia, C., Dozi, P., Jeanetta, S., Flores, L., Martinez, D. and Dannerbeck, A. (2008). The Impact of Networks and the Context of Reception on Asset Accumulation Strategies of Latino Newcomers in the New Settlement Communities in the Midwest. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 90(5), pp. 1319-1325. Winland, D. (2007). We are now a nation: Croats between home and homeland. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. World Bank. (2014). Net Migration. [Online] Available at: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SM.POP.NETM [Accessed 21 May 2014]. Wray, S. and Bartholomew, M. (2006). Older African Caribbean women: The influence of migration on experiences of health and well-being in later life. Research Policy and Planning, 24(2), pp. 103-119. Zachariah, K., Matthew, E. and Rajan, S. (2001). Social, economic and demographic consequences of migration on Kerala. International Migration, 39(2), pp. 43-71. Cornell University Law School. (2014). 8 U.S. Code § 1325 - Improper entry by alien. Retrieved May 28, 2014, from http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1325 Read More