Development Impacts of Irregular Migration: A Study from a Central Province in Vietnam

<p>Migration is often viewed negatively in development policy terms, and much understandings of migration often portray it as a threat to social security in destination countries, however, the sustainable livelihood approach presents migration as a livelihoods strategy, suggesting that policy should, instead, support human mobility. In the current context where regular labour migration offers various consequences resulting in both positive and negative impacts, irregular labour migration, though complex because of its undocumented nature, has become the choice of many unskilled and low-skilled workers from Vietnam. This study employs a case-study qualitative approach to look at the case of irregular migrant workers from a central province of Vietnam migrating overseas for economic purposes. It applies the New Economics of Labour Migration theory and the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and brings together their shared premise of viewing migration as a household calculated strategy to sustain rural livelihoods, to explore whether irregular migration can be a sustainable livelihood strategy for the rural people of Ha Tinh province. The study finds that irregular labour migration is a household calculated strategy and, similar to regular migration, it brings about social and economic benefits that affect the migrants, their families and home communities. Although such migration is complex and vulnerable, it is well thought through by migrants and fits in the context of rural Ha Tinh as a flexible, quick and convenient strategy to gain income for the rural poor. The research also finds that the local people have established their own supporting networks and found their own ways to mitigate the risks and ensure their irregular migration is successful in terms of economic gains. The combination of an economic migration theory and a livelihood approach offers this research an in-depth discussion on the complexity of irregular labour migration and its impacts on various aspects of social and economic development.</p>

Development Impacts of Irregular Migration: A Study from a Central Province in Vietnam

<p>Migration is often viewed negatively in development policy terms, and much understandings of migration often portray it as a threat to social security in destination countries, however, the sustainable livelihood approach presents migration as a livelihoods strategy, suggesting that policy should, instead, support human mobility. In the current context where regular labour migration offers various consequences resulting in both positive and negative impacts, irregular labour migration, though complex because of its undocumented nature, has become the choice of many unskilled and low-skilled workers from Vietnam. This study employs a case-study qualitative approach to look at the case of irregular migrant workers from a central province of Vietnam migrating overseas for economic purposes. It applies the New Economics of Labour Migration theory and the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and brings together their shared premise of viewing migration as a household calculated strategy to sustain rural livelihoods, to explore whether irregular migration can be a sustainable livelihood strategy for the rural people of Ha Tinh province. The study finds that irregular labour migration is a household calculated strategy and, similar to regular migration, it brings about social and economic benefits that affect the migrants, their families and home communities. Although such migration is complex and vulnerable, it is well thought through by migrants and fits in the context of rural Ha Tinh as a flexible, quick and convenient strategy to gain income for the rural poor. The research also finds that the local people have established their own supporting networks and found their own ways to mitigate the risks and ensure their irregular migration is successful in terms of economic gains. The combination of an economic migration theory and a livelihood approach offers this research an in-depth discussion on the complexity of irregular labour migration and its impacts on various aspects of social and economic development.</p>

Colonial Roots of the Aryan Invasion/Migration Theory and the Contemporary Archaeological Evidence in Western Sources

William Jones, famously, by identifying close linkages between Sanskrit and European languages, gave birth to research into the common ancestry between Indians and Europeans. In the earlier years of contention on the matter, India was considered the cradle of civilisation and Sanskrit as the mother of all Indo-European languages. With the rise in the imperial power of Europe over India, the cradle of civilisation began to shift outside India and ultimately landed in Europe. Simultaneously, the idea of invasion of India by the ‘Aryan race’, or the Aryan invasion theory (AIT), was promoted. Since then, however, one archaeological find over another have consistently refuted the AIT, proving it as false. As flawed as it remains, this theory has, nonetheless, persisted and morphed in its current form as the Aryan migration theory (AMT) and continues to find mention and favour in contemporary academic discourse. In mainstream academia, today, whether in grade-school texts or in texts meant for undergraduate and graduate study, whenever India and Hinduism are mentioned, the coming of Aryans from outside of India and establishing Hinduism and civilisation in India are discussed as veritable facts. By examining the theory in anticolonial and postcolonial contexts, we show that despite considerable archaeological evidence refuting the theories of the invasion or migration of Aryans into India, its colonial embeddedness in the notion of the racial superiority of the Europeans or people with European ancestry that the theory does not fade into oblivion.

Exploring the Personal Factors of Homeless Ex-Prisoners Who Migrated Repeatedly to Kuala Lumpur from the Perspective of Migration Theory by Everett S. Lee/ Meneroka Faktor Peribadi Gelandangan Bekas Banduan Berhijrah Secara Berulang Kali ke Kuala Lumpur dari Perspektif Teori Migrasi oleh Everett S. Lee

The concentration of homeless ex-prisoners in the capital city raises personal choice factors for them to migrate repeatedly. Kuala Lumpur is the chosen destination for migration for ex-prisoners after their release from prison. The lack of place to go makes Kuala Lumpur a destination of choice despite living as a homeless person. This qualitative study uses a phenomenological approach involving 15 homeless ex-prisoners to explore the personal factors that led them to choose Kuala Lumpur and resigned to living on the streets. The personal factors identified were self-choice, finding job, having friends, easy access to food, migrating, and being familiar with Kuala Lumpur. The study's findings have confirmed the migration factors brought about by the Migration Theory by Everett S. Lee. This study recommends that the social services and welfare agencies involved, such as the Social Welfare Department, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, and the Prisons Department, to implement more comprehensive and consistent interventions towards assisting homeless ex-prisoners via necessary services, welfare, and appropriate social support.

Testing Predictions of Optimal Migration Theory in Migratory Bats

Optimal migration theory is a framework used to evaluate trade-offs associated with migratory strategies. Two strategies frequently considered by migration theory are time minimizing, whereby migration is completed as quickly as possible, and energy minimizing, whereby migration is completed as energetically efficiently as possible. Despite extensive literature dedicated to generating analytical predictions about these migratory strategies, identifying appropriate study systems to empirically test predictions is difficult. Theoretical predictions that compare migratory strategies are qualitative, and empirical tests require that both time-minimizers and energy-minimizers are present in the same population; spring migrating silver-haired (Lasionycteris noctivagans) and hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) provide such a system. As both species mate in the fall, spring-migrating males are thought to be energy-minimizers while females benefit from early arrival to summering grounds, and are thought to be time-minimizers. Thermoregulatory expression also varies between species during spring migration, as female silver-haired bats and males of both species use torpor while female hoary bats, which implant embryos earlier, are thought to avoid torpor use which would delay pregnancy. Based on optimal migration theory, we predicted that female silver-haired bats and hoary bats would have increased fuel loads relative to males and the difference between fuel loads of male and female hoary bats would be greater than the difference between male and female silver-haired bats. We also predicted that females of both species would have a greater stopover foraging proclivity and/or assimilate nutrients at a greater rate than males. We then empirically tested our predictions using quantitative magnetic resonance to measure fuel load, δ13C isotope breath signature analysis to assess foraging, and 13C–labeled glycine to provide an indicator of nutrient assimilation rate. Optimal migration theory predictions of fuel load were supported, but field observations did not support the predicted refueling mechanisms, and alternatively suggested a reliance on increased fuel loads via carry-over effects. This research is the first to validate a migration theory prediction in a system of both time and energy minimizers and uses novel methodological approaches to uncover underlying mechanisms of migratory stopover use.

Peyi A Pwomet: The Experience of Haitian Refugee Claimants in Toronto

This study assesses the current Canadian refugee determination process and Canadian refugee policy by comparing it with the narrative experience of Haitian refugee claimants in Toronto, Canada. The analysis was guided by a critical anti-racist framework and forced migration theory. Qualitative research was conducted by interviewing five Haitian refugee claimants and a Haitian community leader, all living in Toronto. The research found that Haitian refugee claimants face a multitude of barriers when navigating through the refugee determination process. A socio-political history of Haiti is provided to contextualize the motivations and factors which have induced Haitian migration. This study is the first of its kind with regard to research focused specifically on the experience of Haitian refugee claimants in Canada and in particular Toronto. It contributes to the very limited existing research on Haitian refugees in Canada.

Peyi A Pwomet: The Experience of Haitian Refugee Claimants in Toronto

This study assesses the current Canadian refugee determination process and Canadian refugee policy by comparing it with the narrative experience of Haitian refugee claimants in Toronto, Canada. The analysis was guided by a critical anti-racist framework and forced migration theory. Qualitative research was conducted by interviewing five Haitian refugee claimants and a Haitian community leader, all living in Toronto. The research found that Haitian refugee claimants face a multitude of barriers when navigating through the refugee determination process. A socio-political history of Haiti is provided to contextualize the motivations and factors which have induced Haitian migration. This study is the first of its kind with regard to research focused specifically on the experience of Haitian refugee claimants in Canada and in particular Toronto. It contributes to the very limited existing research on Haitian refugees in Canada.