Global Citizenship | Identity and migration

👋 Welcome to the "Identity and Migration" Study Notes!

Hey future Global Citizens! This chapter is incredibly important because it helps us understand one of the biggest forces shaping the modern world: movement. We’re going to explore who we are (our identity) and how the act of people moving across borders (migration) changes both individuals and entire communities.

Don't worry if these ideas seem abstract; we’ll break them down using simple examples!

Section 1: What Shapes Our Identity?

Before we look at migration, we need to understand the building blocks of who we are. Identity refers to the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks and expressions that make a person (or a group) what they are.

Factors that Shape Individual and Community Identities (Syllabus Point 3b)

Identity is not just one thing; it’s a combination of many characteristics that interact with the world around us. The syllabus requires you to know these six key factors:

1. Ethnicity

Ethnicity refers to the cultural heritage, ancestry, language, and shared history that links a group of people. It is about a sense of belonging to a specific group, often based on common traditions.
Example: Being part of the Yoruba ethnic group in Nigeria, or having Irish ancestry.

2. Gender

This refers to the social roles, behaviours, and expectations linked to being male, female, or another identity, which profoundly affects how an individual sees themselves and how society treats them.

3. Age

Our age group influences our identity through shared experiences (e.g., high school students worldwide share certain experiences). Age also dictates rights and responsibilities in many societies (e.g., voting age, retirement age).

4. Religion

Shared religious beliefs, practices, and moral values are core parts of identity for billions of people. Religion provides a framework for community and culture.
Example: Celebrating Diwali is a cultural practice integral to the Hindu identity.

5. Disability

This refers to physical or mental impairments that may impact a person’s ability to participate in society equally. Identity related to disability often involves shared experiences of discrimination or the creation of supportive communities (e.g., the deaf community).

6. Education

The level and type of education an individual receives heavily shapes their worldview, job prospects, and social status. Education is a key identity marker that influences how we interact with global issues.

Section 2: Why Do People Migrate?

International migration is when a person moves from their home country to live permanently or semi-permanently in another country. The syllabus requires us to know the four main categories of reasons why this movement happens (Syllabus Point 3a).

1. Economic Reasons (The Search for Money)

This is often the primary driver for migration.

• Job Opportunities: Moving from countries with high unemployment (source countries) to countries needing workers (host countries).
• Remittances: Migrants send money earned abroad back to their families in their home country, which helps those families and boosts the source country's economy.
• Standard of Living: Seeking better wages, better housing, and improved financial security.
• Did you know? In some developing countries, remittances sent by migrants make up a huge percentage of the country’s income!

2. Political Reasons (Safety and Stability)

These involve government actions, conflict, or lack of safety.

• War and Conflict: People fleeing violence, civil war, or persecution (these people are often defined as refugees).
• Political Persecution: Fleeing because of their political beliefs, meaning they face danger or imprisonment if they stay.
• Lack of Rights: Moving to a country where they can enjoy greater civil and political freedoms.
• Example: People fleeing Syria due to the civil war seeking safety in Europe or neighbouring countries.

3. Cultural Reasons (Family and Lifestyle)

These reasons relate to family ties, culture, and social environment.

• Family Reunification: Moving to join family members who have already migrated.
• Education: Moving abroad to access high-quality universities or specialist training not available in their home country.
• Cultural Ties: Sometimes, people move to a country that shares historical or linguistic links with their own (e.g., migration between Commonwealth countries).

4. Environmental Reasons (Survival and Climate)

These involve the physical environment and natural disasters.

• Natural Disasters: Fleeing immediate threats like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or severe floods.
• Climate Change: Longer-term environmental degradation, such as rising sea levels making low-lying coastal areas uninhabitable, or severe drought leading to crop failure. (These people are sometimes called climate migrants or environmental refugees).
• Example: Farmers in arid regions forced to abandon their land because desertification makes farming impossible.

Section 3: The Effects of Migration on Identity and Diversity

When people move, cultures meet, mix, and sometimes clash. This movement changes identity patterns in both the migrants' lives and the communities they join (Syllabus Point 3c).

A. Effects on Diversity in Local and National Communities

Migration leads directly to greater diversity—meaning a greater variety of backgrounds, cultures, languages, and religions within a single community or nation.

• Cultural Enrichment: Host communities gain new foods, music, festivals, and languages. (Think of how international restaurants have changed city life globally!)
• Economic Benefits: A diverse population often brings a broader range of skills, filling labour gaps and boosting innovation.
• New Perspectives: Different cultural groups bring different ways of thinking about social and political issues, enriching public debate.

B. The Challenge of Community Cohesion

While diversity is positive, migration can challenge community cohesion. Cohesion means that all parts of a community feel a sense of belonging and get along well, despite their differences.

When migration is rapid, challenges can include:

• Strain on Resources: Host communities may worry about housing, schools, or healthcare being overwhelmed.
• Cultural Conflict: Differences in values, traditions, or religious practices can sometimes lead to misunderstanding, prejudice, or resentment between groups.
• Integration Issues: Migrants may struggle to integrate due to language barriers or discrimination, leading to segregated communities.

C. Growing Numbers of People with Multiple Identities

One of the most profound effects of migration is the creation of multiple identities (sometimes called hybrid identities).

This occurs when a person identifies strongly with both the culture of their family (the source country) and the culture of the country they now live in (the host country).

• Definition: A person with a multiple identity holds citizenship and cultural attachments to two or more places simultaneously.
• The "Hyphenated" Identity: Often described using a hyphen, such as "Vietnamese-Australian" or "Mexican-American." These individuals navigate two distinct cultural worlds daily.
• Benefits: People with multiple identities often act as cultural bridges, understanding and connecting different communities, and possessing high levels of adaptability.
• Challenges: They may sometimes feel they don't fully belong in either place, leading to a feeling of being 'in-between' two cultures.

Example: A second-generation migrant may speak their parents’ native language at home, follow those religious traditions, but feel completely British or German in their education, social life, and sense of humour.