immigration and Social Identity
Immigration and Ethnic Identity
Name
Institution
Introduction
The migration of ethnic communities has become a major part of immigration across the world. Each year increasing number of immigrants arrive at the border of western countries such as Australia and a large number of these immigrants are refugees (Manning, 2005). Immigration is the movement of people and their belongings into a country for the purpose of settling permanently (Saggar, et al, 2012). Generally, immigration occurs due to political, economic, cultural or environmental reasons that can be attributed to political instability, work issues, religious freedom, and natural disasters respectively (Cantle, 2005). The high influx of migrants into western countries such as Australia triggers new public discourse that is at the nexus of migrancy and the construction of new identities, particularly ethnic identities. This paper argues that in the Australian context the process of migration and settlement influences the reconfiguration of ethnic identities. The paper also appreciates the role historical and contemporary policy debates in Australia and the complexity of migration, and settlement play in the construction of ethnic identities.
Discussion
Migration patterns in Australia
After the Second World War, Australia was categorized as one of the countries that had less population. A policy was introduced to allow immigrants from Mediterranean, Central and Eastern Europe. Between 1960 and 1970 Asian migrants migrated into Australia. This was a result of introduction of a policy called White Australia Policy which allowed favors to certain countries to allow their people to migrate to Australia. The favors came as a result of the discovery of gold. (Crock et al, 2006).
In the 1970s as the war between America and Vietnam was ending, many Vietnamese refugees who were workers for the American and Australian army arrived in Australia. Between 1970 and 1980 there was
Name
Institution
Introduction
The migration of ethnic communities has become a major part of immigration across the world. Each year increasing number of immigrants arrive at the border of western countries such as Australia and a large number of these immigrants are refugees (Manning, 2005). Immigration is the movement of people and their belongings into a country for the purpose of settling permanently (Saggar, et al, 2012). Generally, immigration occurs due to political, economic, cultural or environmental reasons that can be attributed to political instability, work issues, religious freedom, and natural disasters respectively (Cantle, 2005). The high influx of migrants into western countries such as Australia triggers new public discourse that is at the nexus of migrancy and the construction of new identities, particularly ethnic identities. This paper argues that in the Australian context the process of migration and settlement influences the reconfiguration of ethnic identities. The paper also appreciates the role historical and contemporary policy debates in Australia and the complexity of migration, and settlement play in the construction of ethnic identities.
Discussion
Migration patterns in Australia
After the Second World War, Australia was categorized as one of the countries that had less population. A policy was introduced to allow immigrants from Mediterranean, Central and Eastern Europe. Between 1960 and 1970 Asian migrants migrated into Australia. This was a result of introduction of a policy called White Australia Policy which allowed favors to certain countries to allow their people to migrate to Australia. The favors came as a result of the discovery of gold. (Crock et al, 2006).
In the 1970s as the war between America and Vietnam was ending, many Vietnamese refugees who were workers for the American and Australian army arrived in Australia. Between 1970 and 1980 there was
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