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Migrant workers. Seminarfach EN72 Marina Zielke & Mi Tran. Structure. Migrant worker Definition National perspectives (Europe, Asia, America) Views on migrant workers Migrant workers in Asia Reasons for migration Treatment Case study: Olympic Games 2008 Political management
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Migrant workers Seminarfach EN72 Marina Zielke & Mi Tran
Structure • Migrant worker • Definition • National perspectives (Europe, Asia, America) • Views on migrant workers • Migrant workers in Asia • Reasons for migration • Treatment • Case study: Olympic Games 2008 • Political management • Migrant workers in America • American view on Asian migrant workers • Conclusion • Sources
Definition • different official meanings and connotations • someone who migrates within a country in search of work • different national views on the term “migrant workers“
National Perspectives • Europe: open borders for European migrant workers allow them to work in other EU countries • America: reference to someone who regularly works away from home • doing manual labour for low wages e.g. field workers • immigrants without a valid work visa • seasonal workers • Asia – China: workers from poor regions who work in industrialized areas and sent their pay back home to their families
Views on migrant workers • conservative politicians (industrial countries): legal migrant who is a lawbreaker one-way ticket home • immigration advocates: fundament of globalized economy • politicial leaders of developing countries: heroes because of financial supporting of their families back home
globalization environmental disaster unemployment living conditions war after-effects religious or political persecution Migrant workers in Asiareasons for migration
Treatment of migrant workers ·"If my employers went out, they locked the door from the outside and took the key." • bad working conditions • low wages • physical and sexual abuse • violation of human rights • no health insurance • “slavery“ in our cases
Case study: Olympic Games 2008 “Olympic projects built with "the blood" of migrant workers“ • approximately 5,300 migrant workers (90%) • dangerous working conditions • bad housing condutions • exploitation by employers • no access to medical treatment • often go unpaid • are not registered as residents of Beijing
Asian Migrant workers in America The question is no longer, “How do people become Americans?” but rather “How has Americabecome its people?” ...Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free,The wretched refuse of your teeming shore... Emma Lazarus’
the United States – ”a nation of immigrants” • first immigration of Asians dates back to the 18th century • never made up more than 5% of the entire immigration • the detention centerat Angel Islandwas used for decades to interrogate Chinese immigrants • race-conscious immigration and naturalization policies • unequal laws
no other immigrant group had to endure a consistent denial of citizenship • reasons for discriminatory treatment are grounded in racist beliefs of white European supremacy • stereotypes of Asians - “yellow peril” image • Asians and Asian Americans are perceived as foreigners, forever aliens
Pro: financial support of families experiences of working in a new country release of the own country better payments economical benefit Contra: working and living conditions exploitation discrimination unequal laws Conclusion Improvements on migrant rights and treatment
Sources • http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2004/08/31/asias-migrant-workers-need-better-protection • http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=11751 • http://asjournal.zusas.uni-halle.de/15 • http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/m_mwc_p1.htm • http://www.hrw.org/de/news/2008/03/11/china-ausbeutung-von-wanderarbeitern-peking • http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=11751 Pictures: • http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-19973.html#backToArticle=470899 • http://larevolucioncreativa.blogspot.com/2007/10/drerchos-humanos-olmpicos.html • http://marionluettig.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/entstehunggeschichte-des-logos-fur-die-olympischen-spiele/