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Second Essay Exam
Migration traditionally played an important part in the development of the US as an independent state. The role of migration has increased throughout the history of the US. Migration became particularly important in the 20th century when the US transformed into a superpower state. At the same time, migration was not a static process. In stark contrast, migration changed and evolved in the course of time. In this respect, it is possible to trace clearly two major trends in the 20th century migration to the US. First, the pre-World War II migration was the diasporic migration, whereas migrations that followed World War II are rather transnational than diasporic. In such a way, the migration to the US shifted from diasporic in the period prior to World War II to transnational in the second half of the 20th century.
Diaspora movements arise from a dispersal from an original homeland and in which a collective memory or myth about the homeland is maintained. While, people in a diaspora can and do return, in most cases, the majority of migrants do not ever return. Thus, the connections that people maintain
with the homeland are primarily symbolic or sentimental because of the difficulty of maintaining communication and travel with the homeland. However, diaspora movements are necessary for transnationalism to occur, i.e., diasporas provide a basis upon which transnational movements can emerge. After World War II, as Steger and CM have all noted, globalization has dramatically increased as evidenced by increasing circulation and regulation of commodities, capital, technology, and people. Aided by advances in communication and travel, transnational communities are beginning to emerge. Hence, transnationalism is in itself a manifestation
of globalization.
In actuality, specialists (Schiller, 1999, p. 96) distinguish three phases of migration, which are defined as diasporic migration, which lasted in the pre-World War II period; migration during the decolonization; and migration in the globalized world, when relationships between states and the accumulation of capital have started to change and affected the process of migration. The last two phases, especially the last one, mark the shift toward the transnational migration, which eliminates national or ethnic frontiers.
In such a situation, the migration to the US in the pre-war period was determined by the migration from nation states affected by economic crisis and political problems. What is meant here is the fact that many European states, especially those which lost World War I, suffered from a severe economic crisis which affected many countries of the world. As a result, the population of European countries was eager to move to the New World, namely to the US, where people expected to find better job opportunities and a better life. No wonder, the immigration from such countries as Italy was particularly significant in this period.
At the same time, immigrants moving from European countries mainly to the US settled in their communities, where they lived along with immigrants who have already arrived to the US from the same country and settled in the US. In such a way, such ethnic formations contributed to the strengthening of diasporas of different ethnic groups in the US. Hence, the emergence of such formations as Little Italy, China Town and other areas in American cities populated with certain ethnic groups grew particularly strong in the pre-war period. The rise of the diasporic migration to the US was the result of the desperate socioeconomic situation in European countries devastated by World War I.
After World War II, the migration has started to change. The elimination of colonialism and the process of decolonization contributed to the emergence of new waves of migration from the former colonies. In this respect, the immigration from Africa became particularly significant as well as migration from some Latin American and Asian countries. In such a situation, national frontiers have disappeared because migrants did not have the common ethnic background but they originated from the same region or continent, such as West Africa, for instance. These immigrants arrived to the US and they had no common ground but the common place of departure, i.e. Africa, Asia, or Latin America. These immigrants could not be united on the ethnic ground. Therefore, specialists (Daniels, 2004, p.156) define this new migration as transnational migration which has overcome national or ethnic frontiers.
In the late 20th century, the process of globalization lead to consistent, structural changes in the international economy, accumulation of capital, politics and migration. Specialists (Castles and Miller, 2009, p. 118) argue that the late 20th century is characterized by the ultimate transnational migration because immigrants move to the US from different regions of the world, while the US becomes a sort of melting pot, where all cultures and groups of immigrants mix up and develop new transnational formations. In this respect, the example of Latin American immigrants is particularly noteworthy for they are traditionally described as Hispanics, regardless of their country of origin and nationality. In such a way, by the end of the 20th century the transnational character of migration has become obvious. The US becomes a desirable destination for immigrants from Latin America and Asia. In this regard, the current trends concerning the migration to the US meet the general, global migration trend. What is meant here is the fact that the migrants tend to move to certain regions or countries with high standards of living, where people can find better job opportunities and start a better life compared to their current position. Like Mexicans and other Latin Americans move to the US in search of a better life so do Indians, Pakistani, and other move to the UK, as well as migrants from North Africa move to France.
Today, the migration has become vulnerable to the growing impact of globalization and, what is more, the migration comprises an integral part of the globalization. The population migrates respectively to the current economic trends (Castles and Miller, 2009, p.11). The accumulation and movement of capital increase and decrease the demand on the labor force in different parts of the world; improve or deteriorates the economic situation in different countries that naturally stimulate immigration or emigration respectively to economic trends.
Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is important to lay emphasis on the fact that the migration was vulnerable to the impact of socioeconomic and political factors that affected the nature of migration. In pre-World War II period, the migration to the US was diasporic because immigrants moved from their native countries and settled in their ethnic communities in the US. After World War II and especially in the late 20th century, the migration became transnational because people from different regions moved to the US and turned out to be in the cultural melting pot.
References:
Castles, S. and M.J. Miller. (2009). The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World, 4th edition. New York: The Guilford Press.
Daniels, R. (2004). Guarding the Golden Door. N.Y.: Hill and Wang.
Schiller, N.G. (1999). “Transmigrants and Nation-States: Something Old and Something New in the US Immigrant Experience.” In Huschman, C. Handbook of International Migration. New York: Random House.