Migration and Transcultural Identities

MIGRATION AND TRANSCULTURAL IDENTITIES

Anna Federica Spagnuolo, Simona Lombardi

CNR - Institute of Neurological Science

Mangone (CS) Italy

ABSTRACT

Men and women have migrated and migration has always entailed multiple affiliations and identities. The different affiliations have had different consequences and meaning throughout history. For example, being of “mixed” origin was a positive thing for Montaigne (1533-92), for whom a decent person was a multicultural one. At other time, being of mixed descent has had terrifying consequences, when the combination was not considered socially desirable.

Today, the aftermath of the immigration to Europe from non-european countries has established new types of transnational affiliations that differ from the traditional immigrant/minority positions known previously. In contrast to the classical models of integration and assimilation, we are now seeing simultaneous local and pluralistic identities. Such combinations are challenging the use of well-established concept and theories, not only in sociology, political and economical sciences but also in history, psychology, religion, linguistics and education.

Traditionally, research on immigration has concentrated on two distinct trajectories: assimilation and ethnic pluralism. There is, however, a third trajectory, which immigrants tend to pursue more and more, namely transnational networks.

The basis of these networks has been the commercial and institutional relations and continuous exchanges immigrants have had between the countries of origin and the country of settlement.

INTRODUCTION

Migration is a process of social change where an individual, alone or accompanied by others, because of one or more reasons of economic betterment, political upheaval, education or other purposes, leaves one geographical area for prolonged stay or permanent settlement in another geographical area. It must be emphasized that migration is not only a trans-national process but can also be rural–urban.

Any such process involves not only leaving social networks behind but also includes experiencing at first a sense of loss, dislocation, alienation and isolation.

Rural–urban migration is more likely to be for economic or educational reasons, while migration across nations may be for social, educational, economic or political reasons. Thus reasons for migration, prior preparation to the act of migration and social support will all enhance an individual’s coping mechanisms. In addition, acceptance and welcome by the new nation will also be significant in the genesis of stress and how the individual deals with such stress.

The economic literature leads the migratory movements to three main factors:

1)  the differential in the standard of living between the country of origin and that one of destination, but also in terms of qualitative elements, like the emergency, the choice freedom, the access to the instruction and the other publics services essential, the conditions of feeding and health, the hope of life;

2)  the demographic increase in the country of origin;

3)  the job perspectives in the destination country confronted with the chronic situation of unemployment/ underemployment in the country of origin.

Beyond the reasons that push the persons to migrate, today, to the thresholds of the new millenium, it is estimated that there are approximately 150 million persons who live firmly abroad, that is in various Countries from that one in which they are been born. Of these, nearly 30 million are refugees or victim of political persecution; the others are emigrating “normal”, persons who have left their Country of origin in order to go in places makeshift. The number of the emigrating is enormous and represents 2.5% of the world-wide population. One small part, but not insignificant, of these is found in the Countries of the European Union.

Migrations are an imposing phenomenon that regards, as we have seen, the totality of the Countries and the people of the world. However, although that, still does not exist one clear definition and univocal of “emigrant”. With this term normally a person agrees or a group of persons that is moved from a place to an other, is inside of the same Country (for example from the campaign to the city like has happened also here from we when Italy passed from the agricultural system to that manufacturer), is towards a foreign Country, for various reasons: in the first place, the search of a stable occupation, but also the flight to natural catastrophes, wars and persecutions of political or religious character.

In the past, the migratory flows have interested small groups or also entire populations coming poor regions of the Earth. Generally, these people found in the Country availability of spaces to organize own activities without to interfere with the local cultures and without to enter in competition with them. Moreover, for how much in foreign earth, they maintained their traditions and professed their creed.

Today the things are changed. A serious problem and not easy solution is that one of integration. If, the economic integration is easiest to obtain on condition that the immigrants occupied if same in poor and often illegal jobs, the logistic integration (houses, schools, hospitals, etc) and above all that socio-cultural determines problems of insertion in the social context.

Logistic integration demands time and money. For example, in a Country as ours in which many citizens do not have a decorous lodging in which live, to privilege immigrates could to provoke one war between poor. Also the scholastic insertion of children with various cultures provokes some apprehension in the families that see with worry the contact of their sons with foreign contemporary.

The more difficult problem is however that one of socio-cultural integration. The experience offers two models, both imperfects. The first one is that French of the integral assimilation that meant to make of every immigrant a French citizen all the effects. This model is failed because the immigrants, a lot often, don’t want to become citizens of country host. They want simply to live in host country preserving own traditions and culture.

Also the model proposed from the Germany has had effects negative. The Germans, have considered the immigrant hosts, excluding them from the political and administrative life of the nation, increasing a problem of social justice and ethics. Therefore, in any case, the immigrant who works and operates in a foreign Country, never doesn’t involved in the political choices that regard it.

As an example, the demand for the girls Muslims to wear the chador to school, does not create some problem in Italy, but it creates some in France because in the schools of that Country it is forbidden to exhibit elements of belongings to one determined religion. And end that draft of a veil, the obstacle is minimal, but very others are the political-cultural conflicts that could rise later on. The polygamy for example, in Italy, it is not contemplated; therefore, that one of the foreign can be accepted or must be refused? Then there is the problem of the infibulation, that is practical of the mutilation of the genital organs feminine, than in truth Muslim is not tied directly to the religion, but that between it follows us of that creed is much diffuse one and accepted, while in Italy is a crime. This practical, hateful for our sensibility, must be prohibited to a religion citizen Muslim or must be tolerated?

Undoubtedly the respect of the other people's ideas is civilization index, but it is equally legitimate from part of some populations to expect that they come above all maintained and to defences the own ones in a place like the Europe where live ancient ethnic minorities that claim their cultural identity. Think, for example, the Basques in Spain, the Walloons and the Flemish in Belgium, the Kurd, the Chechen. This people has fought to make worth the own rights therefore as today fighting the immigrates.

OPEN ISSUES

Every year, in the Countries of the Community, arrive over a million of new hosts, many of which clandestine. As we have seen, the causes of this migratory flow are various; between these there is the emphasized gap between rich countries and poor countries, the review of the laws on immigration in the traditionally receiving Countries, like the United States, but above all, the spread, through the mass media, of the western model in the Eastern Countries of Europe and the South of the world.

In the next years, the four greater Countries of Europe (France, Germany, United Kingdom and Italy) will see to increase their population of a million persons while in the same period of time the Countries North Africans (Morocco, Algeria and Egypt) and the greater Countries of the Middle East (Syria, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia) will increase their population of 150 million unit. These million young people will be obliged to emigrate to look for a dignified job.

The immigrant undoubtedly represents an advantage for a industrialized Country, not only because he occupies the laborious and often underpaid workplaces, but also for a series of ethical and cultural reasons. However, the migratory phenomenon has various consequences.

THE EFFECTS

The massive movements of population determine effects of varied nature as well as in the country of origin how much in that one of destination. They can synthetically be distinguished in demographic effects, economic effects and social effects.

The demographic effects are directed and indirect. Between first, that fundamental one regards the lessening of the consistency of the population in the place of origin in equal measure to the entity of the outflow and the increase correspondent of the demographic consistency in the destination place. According to indirect effect it concerns to the demographic structure; being the migratory currents constituted mostly from individuals of male sex, in juvenile ages and in celibacy state, the population of origin and that one of immigration will turn out both modified in their structure for sex, age and marital status.

Between the indirect effects it is possible to observe as the particular structure for age of the migratory currents influences in reducing the reproductivity of the population of origin (consequence of the lowering of the natality and the increase of mortality) and in increasing that one of the population of destination (consequence of the increase of the natality and the lessening of mortality), from the moment that is mostly individuals in reproductive age and to insufficient risk of died those who they emigrate.

The migrations provoke also economic effects of remarkable relief, some of which are closely connect to you with those demographic ones. The composition for sex and, above all, for age of the migratory currents individuals in juvenile ages alter the relationship between producers and consumers (individuals in infantile and senile ages) lowering it in the population of origin and elevating it in that one of immigration.

The economic effects that derives are various. If the emigration lightens the demographic pressure of the place of origin in adapted measure to stimulate the economic development, without that the loss of demographic energies in juvenile ages prejudice the productive structure, the final effect will be positive for the population of origin. For against, if the demographic structure of the country of origin is in phase of advancing evolution towards the aging, the loss of forces job pertaining to the more productive ages can prejudice the ulterior economic expansion seriously.

The social effects of the migrations are multiple and complex. One of most important, without a doubt, is constituted from the contact of individuals pertaining to atmospheres and various cultures. The migrations involve necessarily the interpenetration of ideas, traditions and customs. This interpenetration is possible, but meet obstacles of remarkable relief, above all when the populations that come to contact are a lot different for evolution degree, or when they belong to various civilizations much.

THE ITALIAN SITUATION

In Italy, from the end of years `60, the annual rate of demographic increase has been in continuous lessening.

It exists in our Country a relative problem to the reduction of the births. To the end of years ‘60 nearly a million children were born per year in Italy; today the number has been reduced less of the half and is nearly equal to that one of the dead men, therefore that by now we are neighbor to “increase zero”. The causes of this decline are varied, but all consequent ones to the socio-economic conditions of the population.

Other irrefutable data is the aging of the Italian population and from this point of view the force introduction coming from young job from foreign Countries in the long term would be an advantage because the demand for labour of the regions of the North often doesn’t find answer in the young people unemployed of the South of Italy.

Today is estimated that in Italy they are approximately a million and half of regular immigrant, the majority of which extra communitarian, while the clandestine are more of the double. On the base of mostly economic parameters it has been estimated that Communitarian Europe could absorb a quota of foreign equal to approximately 0.1% of its inhabitants, a number that for Italy would correspond approximately to 50.000 immigrates per year. In reality this quota in our Country is currently widely exceeded, but however it must keep in mind who many aliens choose Italy like transit point towards the Countries of the Europe north.

Generally they are young people that adapt themselves to cover workplaces that the inhabitants of the place refuse because little appreciated or underpaid. In Italy, for example, where also unemployment is elevated, above all in the South, is difficult to find girls that they want to make the domestic servants, or persons disposed do not find themselves to work in the fields to the collection of the tomatoes or in the stables to attend to the animals.