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Academic work on Migration & Further Info

  • Kristian
  • Nov 6, 2016
  • 7 min read

Academic and other secondary sources to understanding migration:

Understanding the process of migration can be a very complicated process. Therefore, we sometimes need a framework or theory to help us understand what is really going on. These secondary sources have been used to help us understand the Burmese migration to Singapore.

Theory:

Source:

- de Haas, H., Czaika, M., & Goldin, I. (2013). What drives human migration?. Hein de Haas [Blog], December, 11.

This source outlines why migration happens. It specifically proposes two know theories as a tool to understanding migration:The push and pull theory, and The Neo-classical theory.

- The push and pull theory: This theory simply states that there are certain factors that contributes to push the migrant out of the country, and certain factors that pull the migrant into the host country. These factors can be economical, political, cultural and social.

- The Neo-classical theory: This theory is an simple economical theory. It argues that due to differences in wages among countries, people will act rationally and therefore migrate to places based on a rational calculation of wages and costs.

We can use both these theories and analyse the Burmese migrant case.

Using the Neo-classical theory, migrants from Burma would go to work based on wager differences. We can clearly argue there is a wager difference between Singapore and Burma. Therefore, according to this theory it makes sense that people migrate to Singapore. However, it does not fully explain why Singapore? Does not culture, religion, already establish network play a part also?

Using The push and pull theory, we can think of a few different push and pull factors. The push factor is the instability and uncertainty within Myanmar. Especially, trying to escape the forced labour and human right abuses, lack of economic opportunities and low wages. These are also considered push factors.

The pull factors is better economic prospects abroad, as well as more stable, higher wages and no human right violation. However, we can also think that religion, an establish community can be considered to be pull factors. That’s why despite being a very simplistic theory the push-pull theory is largely present our case of Burmese migration to Singapore.

Transnational Family:

Source:

- Parreñas, R. (2013). Transnational mothering: A source of gender conflict in the family. In Migration, familie und soziale lage (pp. 169-194). VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.

Many of the Burmese migrants that come to Singapore are working as Foreign Domestic Helpers (FDH).

However, that does not mean they can bring their family with them to the host country. The family stays in Myanmar, while the woman comes to Singapore to work for the family. This creates the so called Transnational family.

What is a transnational family? And what effect does it cause to the migrants and their family?

The article states that family is not a static institution. The author argues that this is the "age of postmodern family". That means that the conservative way of thinking of a family, gender roles, and the income of the family is about to change. In other words, it is argued that the mother becomes the economically responsible and the father has to take care of the children. Thus, the classical gender roles is shifting.

However, this has an dramatic effect on the migrant family. The article argues that the absence of the mother makes their children feel like they have been abandoned. The feel this despite that they know their mothers does this for their education and economical well-being.

In turn some mothers feel like they have left their child(ren) and worry that if they stay overseas too long, the bond between mother-child will broken. This might be a factor why many women choose to go back to Myanmar after some years. Thus, it makes full integration harder, since most women know they will not to stay for a long period, why integrate into the Singaporean society?

The challenges of transnational migration:

Sources:

- Naum, M. (2013). Premodern translocals: German merchant diaspora between Kalmar and northern German towns (1250–1500). International Journal of Historical Archaeology, 17(2), 376-400.

- Sunny Tan Keng Sooi,"The Invisible Burmese in Singapore", The Independent, 6 May, 2016, accessed November 11, 2016. http://theindependent.sg/the-invisible-burmese-in-singapore/

The article describes the case of the German Hanse, and their diaspora and settlement in Sweden. There is many similarities between the German case from the thirteenth century and the Burmese case today.

Like the German Hanse saw the potential to settle and become permanent residences (PR) in the thirteenth century, the Burmese people have looked overseas to Thailand, Singapore and other states.

One of the main reasons for their migration can be traced back to lack of economic opportunities in Myanmar, but plenty in Singapore. However, military conflict, political instability and military conflict can also be contributing factors. As it stands it supports the Push-Pull Theory mention in the beginning of this post.

However, there are several other similarities than the search for economical stability and prosperity.

Burmese like the Hanse, bring with them their own culture and norms. This makes the migration to the host country an easier transition. Moreover, Materials like clothes, spices, small, personal items or religious items, plays a much bigger role for the migrants than for other people. It is a little piece of their home.

In the case of today, the Burmese people can go to the Peninsula and buy Burmese materials and goods. Since there is already an established network in Singapore, it is much easier for new Burmese migrants to fit in. However, that was not the case for when the first Burmese came to Singapore.

Another similarities between the two migration cases, is that they both went back to their home country on occasion. During the interviews, we saw that was also the case. The Buddist Munk was an example that this happens within the Burmese community today.

In one of the cases, a Burmese father felt that his son could not become fully Burmese if he stayed in Singapore. Rather, the father would take his son "home" to Myanmar to learn the customs, traditions, norms, folkways and values of the Burmese people. There have also been cases of other people worried about losing their culture if they stay in Singapore, and therefore returned to Myanmar. One lady suggested that it was simply the pressure in Singapore that was too much for older people, and only suited for the younger generation, and that was why older people returned home.

We have also seen the case that some of the Burmese migrants want to stay in Singapore rather than going home. When asked if they feel more Singaporean or more Burmese, there is hesitation and no final answer. This also became the case with the transnational Hanse. They felt a sense of belonging both places and kind of torn in both directions. We can see that 700 years later, that still happens. What it means is that migrants does not necessarily always want to go back to their homeland, although that is often the case. Nevertheless, it suggests that some Burmese integrate themselves to some extent. However, their community is closely connected and have little need to integrate since they have access to everything at the Peninsula as in Myanmar, and if not bring it. So why would they intergrate?

Remittance and integration:

Sources:

- Hewison, K., & Young, K. (Eds.). (2006). Transnational migration and work in Asia. Routledge.

- Lam Shushan, "For Myanmar migrant workers, election results bring hope of returning to a better country", Channel NewsAsia, 21 November, 2015, accsessed November 11, 2016.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/for-myanmar-migrant/2278070.html

We now know that economy has a big impact on migration and why people migrate. The last 10 years the economic situation for families in Myanmar grown desperate. They have become dependent on remittance from workers overseas to be able to survive. Men and Women working in Myanmar is only able to make enough income to feed themselves, but not their whole family. Therefore, they have little other choice than trying to migrate overseas to make more money. However, most Burmese who work overseas, have a wish to return to their family in Burma, when they have enough money.

Nevertheless, one major reason to integrate themselves into the Singaporean society is simply to be hired. The language barrier or social norms, are obstacles that cannot simply be avoided. If not addressed it is a small chance to get hired. Knowing how desperate families in Myanmar need the remittance, migrants would be more willing to change in order to get the job.

However, people who do make the effort to integrate, and become more "singaporean" tend to be in higher labour jobs. Workers in lower labouring jobs does not have the same pressure to integrate, either by language or by understanding Singaporean norms. This can be one reason for the social tension between the two groups.

A short film Illustration of the problem of remittance. However, remittance can also lead to the so-called "triple-win", outlined in the article below.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euY31WrdVhc

The triple-win scenario:

Source:

- Wickramasekara, Piyasiri. "Circular migration: A triple win or a dead end." Global Union Research Network Discussion Paper 15 (2011).

The article outlines the theory that remittance can lead to "triple-win". The 'triple-win" is when a migrant goes abroad, and makes more money in the host country than in country of origin. The money the migrant earns is sent home to his/her family. The family spends the money in the country. Thus every part wins on migration.

The host country get cheap labour to hold their prices low for the population. The migrant earns more than in his/her country of origin, so it is possible to feed the family and save for education. The country of origin where the migrant's family lives, continues to develop and grow economically since the migrant's family is using the remittance money in the country. Thus, all three parts win in some way. We can easily apply this scenario to the Burmese case, where the migrants go abroad to earn more money, then send it home, where it is used for education and food.

In conclusion, we can see that Burmese migrants do have have some incentives to integrate when they have to, especially in higher skilled occupations. However, when migrants know their stay will be short, they have less incentives to integrate. Especially, when the existing community is so similar to the home country.

Nevertheless, there is some proof(picture below) that the "young" Burmese diaspora might become more and more integrated into Singapore over time.

First Burmese restaurant in Singapore to serve Halal food


 
 
 

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