Jessica Calix's Short Essay

 

Migration is a worldwide trend that responds to the provisions of the global industry market and to other factors of socio-political and economic nature. In earlier times, people listed substantial migratory flows, because of either hunger, war, religion, illness or other factors because if these reasons many migrated to more developed countries.

          In the article, “Why Migration?” Saskia Sassen investigates the reasons why migrants choose to move to the United States. Sassen argues that “US policy makers and the general public believe the causes for immigration are evident: poverty, unemployment, economic stagnation, and overpopulation drive people to leave their countries”. However, Sassen argues these are not the real reasons why migration occurs. Instead, she argues, “US efforts to open its own and other countries, economies to the flow of capital, goods, services, and information created conditions that mobilized people for migration and formed linkages between the US and other countries which subsequently serve as bridges for immigration”. This case is vital because it makes us examine migration as an intricate topic with decisions made at a multitude of different levels and the importance that the United States contributes to globalization.

      Migration has become part of the developmental outline of today’s globalization. The impact of globalization is apparent in Voyages by Cathy Small in where she examines the lives of immigrants from Tonga, an island in the southwest Pacific Ocean near Fiji, comparing their lives with the lives of their relatives who chose to remain on the island. One effect of globalization has been to enhance the dependence on imported foods, rather than customary foods.

          Tonga, however, is economically and in a social context weak. Tonga is an economically deprived country. Tonga is dependant on remittances from kin who have migrated overseas. Many wonder if it is possible for Tongans to live without the help of overseas remittances.

           After living overseas Tongans, continue to return to the homeland with new thoughts and ways of making money and attaining economic opulence. This is the only way that Tonga can guarantee that it has a sovereign outlook. Developing a strong Tongan  economy will mean less Tongans will have to go overseas, because Tongans will have enough jobs to come home to.

          The effects of globalization blend national borders, not only in a geographical sense, but also by having an effect in economic and cultural ways. Local communities in other countries are facing similar  problems, in spite of which part of the country they reside in. In many communities, migrants need access to vital resources, health care and education.

          In the world we are living in now millions of people are currently living outside of their country of citizenship. It is easy for us to believe that poverty and wanting a better life are reasons why migrants come to more developed countries like Australia, New Zealand, and most frequently the United States, although this may not always be the case.

          Migrants come to more developed countries in answer to reduced employment opportunities in their homelands, and because jobs exist for them in the U.S. economy, which has also been restructured by globalization.                                                            

          Many wonder how to handle the problems facing migrants: racism, discrimination, cultural shock, learning a new language and economic dependency. Others fear that migrants will overpopulate the country.  Many of these concerns do not have answers yet. The most superlative thing we can do is help new migrants to coexist and succeed in their new “homeland.”

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