It's Time For A New Way To Look At Migration

by Ruth Daly

The Immigrant Council of Ireland recently held a highly important workshop entitled ‘Voices of Young Migrant Men’ which brought to light the varying and often difficult issues facing young migrants in Ireland. This ground-breaking research project, funded by the European Commission, took place in seven different European countries, including, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Today, reports have been slowly filtering through Irish media about the discrimination, prejudice and assault faced by migrants in Ireland. Of course, we can conclude that these findings are not exclusive to Ireland but rather are the experience of migrants everywhere. While the research project mentioned focuses on the experiences of young migrant men, I would like to extend this discussion to migrant women, who face equally difficult challenges in the form of discrimination and prejudice.

Findings from the research project indicate disturbing levels of racism and prejudice from authoritative government groups. Policy and Research Officer with the ICI, Peter Slovak stated that racism was a common thread seen among members of the Gardaí and the Immigration Authorities with highly unprofessional and insensitive workers remarking ‘your kind is not allowed here’ among other derogatory and racist remarks. Additionally, there were reports of insinuations that migrants were there purely for financial gain. Godfrey Chimbganda of ICI stressed the importance of integration in tackling racial discrimination towards migrants, stating that the Garda Síochána and other government bodies need to become more diverse. I have included a link to this report at the end of this post for anyone who would like to read more about it.

Oswaldo, one of the young men who participated in the research project has stated that ‘borders are more than just lines drawn in a map, some are even literally massive walls and spiked fences, not even airports are as welcoming as you might expect, they are scary, judgmental and discriminating. We cannot discover our own planet freely.’ (ICI, 2015)

We need to reassess the way in which we view culture and borders and embrace their respective fluidity. If we are to regard culture as intermingled and multifarious, it follows that cultural growth is something which migration facilitates. Thus, it stands that migrants are in a position to act as empowered agents of change here in Ireland, and indeed globally. In The Location of Culture, literary theorist and scholar Homi K. Bhabha highlights the importance of recognising the porous borders between cultures, a notion of fluidity shared by other critics. John McLeod states ‘that [borders] are always leaking into each other, criss-crossing the supposed barriers’ (263) which causes ideas to move and change as a result.

In The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness (Verso, 1993), Gilroy discusses the middle passage, employing the image of the ship as a means by which to symbolise ‘a living, micro-cultural, micro-political system in motion’ (4). This symbol ‘bears witness to the history of black oppression but also the possibility of putting ideas and cultural practices “on the move”, circulating them across different places in perpetual motion’ (266). Here we see an element of hope and new possibility regarding the exchange of ideas emerge out of the profoundly horrific, deeply traumatic Middle Passage.

I refer to Gilroy as parallels can be drawn between his research and the current migrant crisis. What men, women and children are currently going through in an attempt to flee war-torn countries and oppressive regimes is unfathomable. The gross violation of human rights is disgraceful. Our, the EU’s, response is less than welcoming. Simply put, it is not good enough. How is it that have we not learned from history?

In their own words, migrants have described the immense difficulty of leaving their respective homelands to come to a strange place in search of hope, in search of peace. In light of the continuous difficulties facing migrants living in Ireland – many of which have been highlighted by this research – it is more important than ever to highlight the manifold ways in which men, women and children from outside of the EU who have sought asylum in Ireland have enriched Irish culture. Indeed, many have been hugely influential in our continued societal development.

One such example can be seen in a recent legal case which saw Muhammad Younis vindicated as the Supreme Court overturned a previous High Court judgement. Younis was awarded €92,634.42 in unpaid wages and compensation for 7 years’ work in a Clondalkin restaurant. Mr. Younis’ unrelenting perserverence in his fight for his rights has not only changed the law but it has made Ireland a far better, safer, more just place for all workers.

Additionally, a recent International Report entitled ‘Indicators of Immigrant Integration 2015’ carried out by the European Commission and the OECD has shown that Ireland has the most educated immigrants in the EU. If anything, we should be grateful to have such bright minds contributing to Irish society.

It is imperative that we focus on the fluid and porous nature of borders, and embrace our fellow citizens. I will conclude with some sage advice from Oswaldo:

‘At the end of the day, it’s all of us together, the common citizens of the world through our opinions and activism who can change the actions of our policy makers, and the positions of our politicians.’ (ICI, 2015)

 

References

Bhabha, Homi K., The Location of Culture (Routledge, 1994)

Gilroy, Paul, The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness (Verso, 1993)

McLeod, John, Beginning Postcolonialism (Manchester University Press, 2010)

To read more about the findings of the ‘Voices of Young Migrant Men’ research project, visit: http://www.immigrantcouncil.ie/

To read more about the ‘Indicators of Immigrant Integration 2015’ report, visit: http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/social-issues-migration-health/indicators-of-immigrant-integration-2015-settling-in_9789264234024-en#page149

Europe's Immigration Crisis Highlights its Rigid Humanitarian Qualities

 by Edel O'Shea

Last week The Guardian highlighted, quite shockingly, Poland’s lack of willingness to help with Europe’s current refugee and migrant crisis. One reason noted for their harsh reluctance to assist with the latest influx of human suffering was a lack of understating surrounding immigrants and the general consensus was a population that simply didn’t want them in their country.

This could suggest a lack of government support or willingness to educate in the areas of equality and solidarity concerning humans in mass crisis and suffering. If a vast majority of the populace feels intolerance or even hatred towards a struggling group of non-nationals surely it’s time for collective rewiring through educational intervention and campaigning on a large scale to combat this anti-human mind-set.   

In May 2004, when Poland joined the EU, Ireland was among only 3 EU countries accepting Polish workers along with the UK and Sweden. It has been noted how beneficial EU membership has been to Poland and Western EU member States are suggesting Poland should give back by assisting with the current crisis.   

So Poland, whether you understand them or not or you feel you are not prepared you must at least make attempts to summon the basics of human nature and open your borders to those in need. This is not just a political issue it’s a spiritually driven ethical one too pertaining to the safeguarding of man in an equal arena of justice. 

Poland is a small example in a long list of offending countries, all of which have turned their backs, to some greater or lesser extent, on their fellow man, and so it would seem that humanity is defined and measured by strict adherences that don’t stretch to meet the needs of all those struggling in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.

The EU is attempting to cope with an unforeseen flow of refugees from the Middle East and Africa and given the encompassing European feeling of failure towards these refugees and migrants this could well be our biggest test in our ability to look after one another on the most basic human level. 

In order to fully equip the crisis with financial and logistical aid we must imagine a world that exists without borders and alliances if we are to complete our missions of kindness and equality for all and in particular those currently in distress whether on the Mediterranean or elsewhere.

One hopes that implementing an aid programme to our newest refugees without exceptions and boundaries is not a cause that exists solely on the peripherals of a utopian society but one that mirrors a common declaration of care, decency and compassion for our fellow man.

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1 Leszcynski, A. (2015). Poles don’t want immigrants. They don’t understand them, don’t like them. (July 2, 2015) Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/02/poles-dont-want-immigrants-they-dont-understand-them-dont-like-them  Retrieved July 6 2015

2 Leszcynski, A. (2015). Poles don’t want immigrants. They don’t understand them, don’t like them. (July 2, 2015) Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/02/poles-dont-want-immigrants-they-dont-understand-them-dont-like-them  Retreived July 6, 2015

3 Sherwood, H. (2014). Ten years on and Poles are glad to call Britain home. (April 26 2014) Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/apr/26/polish-immigration-britain-cities-elections Retrieved July 6 2015.

4 Leszcynski, A. (2015). Poles don’t want immigrants. They don’t understand them, don’t like them. (July 2, 2015) Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/02/poles-dont-want-immigrants-they-dont-understand-them-dont-like-them  Retrieved July 6 2015

5 Irish Independent (2015). Portrait of the Week – Number of refugees coming to Europe soars by 80pc  (July 5 2015). Available at: http://www.independent.ie/world-news/portrait-of-the-week-number-of-refugees-coming-to-europe-soars-by-80pc-31352299.html Retrieved July 6 2015.  

6 Amnesty International (2015) Amnesty’s International “Blueprint for Action” to end refugee and migrant deaths in the Med (April 22 2015). Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/04/amnesty-international-s-blueprint-for-action-to-end-refugee-and-migrant-deaths-in-the-med/ Retrieved July 6 2015.

Readers' Guide to Racial Bias in the Mass Media

 With the explosion of mass media and its availability to more people than ever before in Europe, how the media manages and monitors its attitudes and beliefs towards issues of racism and how they’re covered is crucial for the fair representation of everybody on a local and international level.

The media is collectively responsible for the influence it has on society as it feeds its audience with attitudes, beliefs and stereotypes that are then devoured so willingly by our collective unconscious or, perhaps, conscious, thus creating new negative ideas surrounding different groups in society.

Every media outlet should then continually ensure the presence of any act of inequality is wiped from their organisation’s belief system if they are to commit to enhancing and improving society rather than hindering its progress.

This may be tough task, however, as in the US less than 2% of those working in news media are made up of racial minorities, those with disabilities or aboriginals. Stronger representation is key to impose counter views and beliefs to those that currently drive the majority.

UNESCO promotes safe freedom of expression for all but how can we all exchange and share knowledge via mass media and furthermore trust those shaping it if it those in the majority that hold most of the expression?

This is particularly worrying when we consider the different ways in which black and white males, for example, are reported and portrayed in the media for similar violent crimes. Media institutions presenting with racial bias, whether vividly or subtly, coupled with the fact the media is so influential, is a testament to how vital it is that all media and individuals are reporting and representing everybody in a way that does not hinder the progress of equality in the media.

You, the audience member and contributor of all forms of media, have the power to control what messages and beliefs you choose to mimic and uphold. Awareness is key and we must demand these basic standards of fairness from all media providers. So make the choices that reflect change, diversity and fairness in your media.

Below is a guide to help both audience and contributor of mass media alike, engage in fair reporting, advertising and entertainment and so fully enjoy the power of media. 

•Be vigilant when being sold a service or product in the latest clothing or gaming ad campaign. How, for example, are the characters portrayed in a gaming campaign, are avatars overly stereotypical? Is the black man always the gun wielding car thief in the latest violent video game?

•Watch out for how we identify a certain race through images, sounds or words used by media. Ideally no group or individual should be categorised by a sound or image.

•Likewise does some media paint an assumption to the reader or audience about where some races may live? What particular cars they might drive? How sexually overt they may be or not? How they live and work?    

•Be aware of wording used to describe an alleged suspect in a news report. There is no reason why a reporter or a news agency should describe a person’s race unless it is absolutely relevant.

•If it is relevant however, choose wording carefully. The word ‘coloured’ is not appropriate but rather the NUJ advises the use of the word black to imply those of African, Asian or Arabic origin. It’s OK to ask how one defines themselves if you are interviewing them.

•Don’t assume someone’s racial background or guess their possible religion based on their name, this is highly presumptuous and offensive.  

•Your favourite news publication might be your go to source for trusted accuracy but they too may get it wrong. Question everything!

•Ask yourself, due to the continued impact of offending media inequality, do individuals from different races have fewer opportunities and experiences than me due to media assumptions and portrayal?

•Choose your news sources and entertainment carefully but never stop questioning and remain vigilant! 

Be part of the collaboration of justice and fairness for all and above all except nothing less than the clear facts in your news and equality across all platforms.

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The Critical Media Project (2015) Available at:

http://www.criticalmediaproject.org/cml/topicbackground/race-ethnicity/ & NUJ Guidelines on Race Reporting (2007). Available at: http://www.dochas.ie/Shared/Files/7/Guidelines_on_Race_Reporting.pdf

Lets Talk About White Privilege

In this blog post, I’m going to talk about the often misunderstood issue of white privilege. Before I do so, I want to briefly mention a few things about racism which many of you will already be aware of. 

It is important to understand that notions of race and racial difference are constructions first and foremost, based on human invention as opposed to any biological or scientific fact.  Instead, racial differences have been constructed socially and discursively in an attempt to serve the political interests of a particular section of society.  In After Empire (2004) Paul Gilroy asserts that ‘“race” refers primarily to an impersonal, discursive arrangement, the brutal result of the raciological ordering of the world, not its cause’.  Racism then is the ideology that sustains discrimination on the grounds of perceived racial differences, claiming that these constructions are true.  Some of you might question my inclusion of these facts, for it seems as though I am merely stating the obvious.  However, the fact remains that countless numbers of well-meaning individuals are unaware that race is a historical construct and not a biological fact, and so I feel it is something worth mentioning.  

There are numerous obvious manifestations of racism with which we are all familiar including hate crimes, racial slurs and the most insidious – systemic racism.  Yet, there is another more subtle manifestation of racism that continues to sustain the continuation of the racial status quo.  It is called ‘white privilege’ and is representative of the societal privileges benefiting white people in Western countries.  Such privileges are not usually experienced by non-white people under the very same social, political, and economic circumstances.  In a collection of essays entitled Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil (1920) Sociologist and Civil rights activist, W.E.B. Du Bois critiqued white supremacy as a system of exploitation, oppression and violence.  In his essay, he asserts that white people are associated with the creation of a global racial hierarchy, creating horrendous conditions that must be endured by black people.  Almost a century later, the Western society critiqued by Du Bois remains a hierarchical one.

It is important to mention that white privilege is not necessarily something that people consciously create or do in their day to day lives.  The thing about white privilege is that people remain oblivious to the wealth of unearned assets and perks that are so freely available to them, and which can be drawn on daily without a second thought.  While white privilege does not imply guilt for injustices you have not created, nor choose to benefit from, the fact remains that if you have white skin, you benefit.  Peggy McIntosh’s famous essay “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” contains a list of the daily effects of white privilege experienced by her.  Included among this list are some of the following:

‘When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my colour made it what it is.’

‘I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.’

‘If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege.’

‘I can be pretty sure of having my voice heard in a group in which I am the only member of my race.’

‘I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.’

‘I do not have to educate my children to be aware of systemic racism for their own daily physical protection.’

If you are a white person living in the Western hemisphere, as you scroll through the list, you will undoubtedly find yourself adding to it as you discover the numerous unearned perks/advantages you did not realise you experience daily.  This proved to be true in my case, at least.

It is very easy to see clear incidences of systemic racism and white privilege in countries like South Africa or America, for instance.  One need only think about Michael Brown of Ferguson, John Crawford and Tamir Rice of Ohio, Eric Garner of New York, and most recently Freddie Gray of Baltimore, all of whom were killed by members of the police force.  Their deaths have put a global spotlight on the racial disparities inherent in America’s criminal justice system.  Is it so easy to spot white privilege closer to home though?  I recently had a discussion with a friend who insisted that white privilege is not an issue in Ireland.  It surprised me and reinforced my belief that our lack of awareness regarding privilege is something that needs to be challenged head-on.  It also led me to think about the difficulties inherent in addressing such a subtle yet ingrained form of racism.  In order to address this kind of privilege, we must first acknowledge its existence.  In her essay, McIntosh states that ‘as a white person, [she] realised [she] had been taught about racism as something that put others at a disadvantage, but had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege, which put [her] at an advantage.’  If we are to create space for the open and frank discussion of white privilege, we need to do so through education and awareness.  With that, comes accountability.

 

Additional Note:

While writing this blog post, I came across a fascinating project being carried out by researchers at Harvard.  It is called Project Implicit and assesses thoughts and feelings that occur outside of conscious awareness or control based on a series of tests.  For anyone interested in taking part, follow the link: [https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html]

 

Ruth Daly

 

References

DuBois, W.E.B. Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil (Dover Publications, 1999)

Gilroy, Paul. After Empire: Melancholia or Convivial Culture? (Routledge, 2004)

McIntosh, Peggy. “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” (1988) [http://amptoons.com/blog/files/mcintosh.html]

Marriage Referendum 2015; Vote YES for Equality and Progression

by Michelle Mitchell
                                                                                                
I don’t think there is anyone in Ireland by now that is unaware of the upcoming marriage referendum on May 22^nd.  If this referendum is passed what will occur is that homosexual couples will gain the right to have the same status of marriage that heterosexual couples in Ireland presently obtain.  With this referendum of course those for and against it passing have implemented a very visible and vocal campaign on their respective opinions.

All of the major political parties are calling for a yes vote and associating it with inclusivity in society, along with equality and fairness for all Irish citizens. Many celebrities are also advocating for a yes vote such as Hozier, various Irish rugby players and Sir Ian McKellen, which is showing a strong backing for the yes campaign. I have to say I am one such advocate and simply struggle to understand how anyone can comprehend or defend their decision to vote no. If two people in a relationship that I am no way involved in, decide to get married then how exactly does that affect me? Why does this issue even give cause for a referendum, as by even doing this we are essentially in some respect deciding as to whether or not gay and lesbian people deserve the same rights and status as anyone else in society?  We would also do well to remember that we also voting for the right of our children and their children to marry. So any future relationships our children may enter into, we are therefore influencing its legal and social standing on May 22^nd. I currently have no children but when or if I do and if any of them should be born gay or lesbian well then I would like to think they would be equally valued in Irish society and that I have played a small role in contributing to that by voting yes on May 22^nd.

Turing my attention to the no campaign, whilst I do respect everyone’s right to promote their views and opinions in any referendum or poll, what I do not respect is using lies and children as pawns to do so. I think their argument essentially has proved counter-productive as the yes campaign has responded by making it clear that in no way is this referendum a vote for surrogacy. That is an issue for the legislature and the legalities surrounding surrogacy will not be affected by the result on May 22^nd.  As for the call to not redefine marriage, everyone’s concept of marriage is different. We have a tenancy in Ireland to associate marriage with the church. This is not the case, the Catholic Church nor any other church did not invent marriage, it is in fact a pagan tradition in this country before Christianity arrived and therefore they do not own the concept of this union. I do respect that the church are entitled to their own understanding and beliefs of marriage however it is not the only one and claiming ownership of this union is simply wrong. Finally in relation to the no campaign using child protection as a reason to vote no is simply ignorant, discriminatory, wrong and there is no justification for it. If we want to look at institutions and groups of people who have damaged the family unit and hurt children in inconceivable ways in this country then let’s turn our attention to the church and state. Mother and baby homes, forced adoption, clerical abuse, Magdalene asylums, arranged marriages, enough said!

To conclude this piece I would like to urge everyone to get out and vote yes on May 22^nd as by doing so we are showing the world we are a progressive, egalitarian and fair nation that values all of its citizens equally. We are closing a divide in society that currently exists and this need's to happen as when a social divide prevails in society it damages it. Social divides promote discrimination, prejudice and social isolation. However most importantly by voting yes we are showing all members of the LGBT community that yes we do value you as equal citizens in our country and we recognise your right to love and marry whomever you choose.  Finally, what I visualise should a yes vote occur, is that twenty years into the future  finding it so unbelievable and shameful that we once didn’t allow homosexuals to marry, just as now we find it hard to comprehend that blacks and whites were once not allowed to marry or the stigma attached to Protestant and Catholic unions.