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Monday, July 02, 2007
Migration and National Identity In this lecture, please refer to your Geography lecture notes under migration. Refer to the chapter of population.
Seen this article before? Our country is trying to introduce foriegners (aka professionals and talent) to work for us. This is accompanied by a wave of campaigns to encourage them to stay and become citizens. This is where the trouble comes. So what are you now? American or Singaporean? Or in my case, Singaporean or Hong Kong,Chinese?
This happens when migrants either lose identity of the source country and have no sense of belonging to the destination nation OR the migrant has a sense of belonging to both source and destination nations. Regardless of which scenario, this creates a phenomenon where the migrant feels confused with his/her identity.
(Melting pot of cultures...melting pot of national identities)
Take Wada Hiromi for example: Hiromi is a Japanese born singer who migrated to Hong Kong with her family at a young age. She studied in a Hong Kong school and is currently taking her A-levels( she's 18 this year). So where is she chosing to stay after graduation? Simple: "I don't know." She currently has a booming career at TVB and has started quite well with her career in the Chinese entertainment scene. However, she has strong feelings for her home in Japan. This was why she agreed to host the Japanese travel show for TVB. In conclusion, what is she? HongKonger? (She speaks very fluent cantonese) or Jap?( Her Jap is nothing but perfection). Simple: "I don't know"
This phenomenon happens to many people who undergo voluntary international migration. Unlike forced migration, these people have every right to choose which country to reside in at any point in time be it job related or family related. And when you have a choice, you have no idea which choice to make because you have too much freedom to choose. As a result, like Hiromi, most people choose to be both. They identify themselves according to....well..depends from person to person, but most identify themselvs according to mood.
This applies to me as well. Having grown up in both locations, I have developed a sense of identity for both places. Which explains why I use "us" when referring to Singapore as well as Hong Kong. As to where I think I belong to, my answer is the same:" I don't know"
(Some info about national identity: Having a sense of identity to a paticular country does not mean that the persons concerned agrees with the policies of government or authorities concerned. Which explains why I have been critical of both governments.)
Labels: Geography, Hiromi, Migration, Population
7:22 PM
