Since there a couple more articles on Peruvian migration in the coming weeks, what I wanted to give you guys, was to view migration from a somewhat different point of view. When it comes to Latin American migration, for the most part, we take Mexican and Cuban migrations two of the most talked about examples. Mexican migration because of its sheer size and most unidirectional migration, usually from rural Mexico to the US; and Cuban migration because, until now it is regarded as the exception since if a Cuban sets foot on US soil, that person is immediately granted asylum.
Peruvian migration on the other hand is one that has further reaches than even what the article states. It concentration on the US, Southern Europe, and the Southern Cone makes sense since that is where the majority of Peruvians currently reside. However, the mention of Japan, and the omissions of Hong Kong, Macau, Dubai, and other parts of the globe also resound because they have not been looked at in depth, yet.
Peruvian migration, though, is I agree directly tied to historical migration patterns where networks have been kept strong since the mass migrations of the 19th Century. The authors stated that there are at least 27 countries where Peruvians have migrated to, which in my mind speaks to a very late concentration by researchers on the role and strength of global social networks. These networks, from simple formations as to provide information on where to migrate, to complex familial and historical links that connect investments, information, human and social capital, are finally beginning to be understood by researchers.
The article also shines a light on the diversity of Peru’s population. For the most part, the view of this country is that it is comprised on Criollo, Mestizo, and Native populations. However, we often forget that the population is also made up of descendants from Africa, Asia, and Europe (excluding Spain).
In the following weeks we’ll dive a little deeper in Chinese and Japanese communities in Peru, and get some further insight in to the diversity of this country.
Die
Am 11. December 2016 um 13:59 Uhr
I definitely agree with your point that in the Latin American Migration the Mexican and Cuban migration are the most talked about examples. That is a reason why I was really surprised about the fact that Peru has a huge number of emigrants from almost all social classes and ethnic groups. (“Peru has one of the highest rates of out-migration in Latin America today.” (p. 7)) Another surprising point is the fact that the Peruvian migration migrates to a wider range of countries and regions. Like the authors brought out this is due to the economic and political instability of Peru in the 1980s and the implementation of a new tightened immigration policy in the USA.
One part of the article examines researches and articles with focus on the Peruvian migration. In general I think the article gives a good overview of the existing researches on the Peruvian migration. Especially the researches about the reason for the diversification, in terms of ethnic and class origin of the emigrant population, seem interesting to read. Like you already said this part reflects quite good the diversity of the Peruvian society and I’m excited to read more about the Chinese and Japanese communities in Peru in the coming weeks.
There is one point in the text I would like to new more about. At page 7 the authors mentioned that “in response to [the high rate of out-migration] the Peruvian state has taken steps to include Peruvians abroad in a new imagined Peruvian nation spanning geographical borders.” (p.7) I don’t really understand what kind of steps the government is taking. What is understood by the expression “negotiating new state-migrant relationships”? (p.7) Maybe one of you have an answer to my question.
Am 11. December 2016 um 14:10 Uhr
Like many other countries, Peru did not regard migrants in a good light. It was only when some governments (Mexico also does this in their own way) realized that the Billions of dollars coming into the country in the form of remittances were in fact giving a number of Peruvians abroad some sort of power with in the country that they decided to ’embrace’ the communities abroad. New laws and regulations were passed to make it easier for those that wanted to carry-out business in the country; dual citizenship also stopped being a problem or ‘source of concern’ since it was second and third generations Peruvian-(choose citizenship) that could also come and invest in the country. Moreover, if you wanted to move back to Peru, you could bring your entire house (and up to 2 new cars) without paying taxes, thereby helping one settle easier and faster…things like that. I don’t know how much these policies have worked, but I assume they hold some attraction. I had some things to do at the Peruvian Consulate and they have a long list of things you can bring into the country if you decide to move back. Hope this answers your question.
Am 11. December 2016 um 21:47 Uhr
In their article, it’s authors offer an encompassing account of the phenomenon of Peruvian migrations. In this regard, Perú is depicted as a historically migrant society that has been receiving settlers from all over the world in the ongoing of the last 500 years -which definitely puts into question the myth of the all-criollo-mestizo-indian demographic composition of the Peruvian society-. Yet, the article fails to give an account of the multiple reasons that had triggered the post-1980s wave of Peruvian immigration. According to the authors, Neo-liberalism has worked as the “great agent” that has forced hundreds of thousands of Peruvian citizens to leave their country -due to the spread of poverty and lack of opportunities initiated by the implementation of the structural reforms of the last 30 years-. Indeed, neo-liberal economic policy has played a role in this process but, as any social issue, migration must be understood as a multidimensional phenomenon that cannot be apprehended by means of mono-causal and over-simplistic explanations. From this point of departure, I would suspect that Peruvian migration -as is the case of other migration processes from Latin America-, can be better explained when considering an amalgamation of economic factors (e.g. poverty, which existed prior to the late 1980s and was not produced exclusively by neo-liberal reforms), the building up of migrant networks (integrated by family members, friends and even acquaintances), personal ambitions (in the case of young people who go abroad to study), the improvement of transportation infrastructures, technologies and connections (which has made far easier for migrants to reach distant destinations without incurring in unaffordable expenses and in considerably shorter periods of time), etc.
Am 12. December 2016 um 15:06 Uhr
This text gives a good a short review of the researches made on the Peruvian migration around the world.
I found the arguments about the reproduction and/ or modification of the Peruvian social structure really interesting:
– the fact that the migration reproduces wealth and gender inequalities within Peru
– the fact that the migration transforms the Peruvian social fabric (in the care-giving practices for instance)
– the fact that the practices around illegality are a reflection of the migrants’ class position in Peru
Currently Peru, by being one of the most attractive country in Latin America and thanks to the new political stability, is welcoming new migrants: do you think Peru would attract the US, Asia, Europe ? Who are the immigrants most likely to come ? (I mean, maybe Peru passed some agreements with other countries ? …)
Am 12. December 2016 um 18:18 Uhr
As this article is an introduction to a – I think – sample of different research articles of diverse issues of Peruvian migration, I find it an appropriate overview for the coming articles even if it is not giving an account of every single detail. Like you already mentionef it is mostly talked about Mexican or Cuban migration and not about Peru. What I find Most interesting is first, in Peru it is not only people from the rural areas that emigrate like for example in Mexico. Second, the fact of the stepwise migration process where Peruvians migrate first to urban areas in Peru and then to other countries. I would find interesting to know why exactly some do it that way and what are the expectations or if there is a mentionable number of those who decide to go back to the rural area after they stayed a it. The third issue I would like to read more about is the article of Karsten Paerregaard about the fiesta honoring the Virgin of Carmen organized by social networks between U.S. based migrants and their hoemtown. Also the role of political participation of foreign based Peruvians for me it seems really interesting.
Am 16. December 2016 um 11:52 Uhr
I found it very useful to get an overview of Peruvian migration as just like Felipe pointed out talking about Latin American migration normally means talking about Mexican or Cuban migration. I had imagined that rural-urban migration inside of Peru was an important topic given the usual dynamics in poor countries. However, I was surprised to read about Peru’s status as an “emigrant country” with more than 10 per cent of its population living abroad.
An interesting point coming up in the article is the role of female (indigenous) migration. I remember that we realized earlier in this course that the importance of females for migratory processes often is underestimated. It seems that in the case of Peruvian migration there are at least some figures about it. But not only the diversity of migrants regarding gender but als class and race seem to be a unique feature making it very interesting for further investigation.
Also very interesting is the extent of Peruvians emigrating to other Latin American instead of Western countries. I don’t have much knowledge about inner-Latin American migration, but I did not imagine it to play such an important role, as one almost always reads about Latin American migration to North America or Europe.
As the authors point out the fact that Peruvians in general emigrate to a much larger number of countries compared to other Latin American countries, in my opinion, cannot be explained only by “economic crisis, political instability, and structural adjustments” (p. 6f), as those also happened in all the other countries of the continent. So, Peru’s immigration history may be a reasonable explanation.
Reading the article I realized that Peru offers various interesting features for the investigation of migratory processes and I am looking forward to reading more about it.
Am 17. December 2016 um 15:28 Uhr
I think the text gives an interesting and concise overview of migration from Peru. As has been mentioned before, there is a major focus on Mexican and Cuban emigration. What I find interesting is that people from different social classes emigrate to very different places. Also, the fact that so many Peruvians have migrated to Japan is new to me. I always thought that the US and Europe were the main destinations of people from Latin America.
Another interesting point is that Peruvians migrate to other Latin American countries. Surely, migration to a neighbouring country is certainly more affordable if you have not many savings. Moreover, some people may think of it as a better option not only because the costs are lower, but also because there is no language barrier.
As has been mentioned by Melanie, I was also wondering what the authors meant by “new imagined Peruvian nation spanning geographical borders” and “negotiating new state-migrant relationships”. Is the Peruvian State supporting migration and trying to enhance the number of emigrants it can benefit form, for examples, remittances?
Am 17. December 2016 um 15:38 Uhr
Hi Guys,
Just to respond to the question of “new imagined nation”. This is a reference to a work by Benedict Anderson titled “imagined communities”. The idea behind this very influential book was that in the age of nationalism and migration, people, countries, and communities can imagine themselves belonging to a community, which although comes from a specific place (Peru in this case), Peruvians abroad can still belong to this nation even though they may no longer live there. It is an idea of sentiment and belonging. The idea is that a country can live and thrive outside its geographical borders. This book was written in 1983, and it became very influential in the 2000s. When we speak of Diaspora today, transnational networks, and things like that, in many ways, people are referring to this book, and how it changed the way many viewed how communities can live across borders and still be part of something else. I’m sure this is something that some of you may take for granted; but it was this book that brought it into how many of us conduct research today.
Have a good holiday! I’ll post the next class on January 2.
Am 20. January 2017 um 11:56 Uhr
I totally agree with the fact that, internationally speaking, the two most known migration communities are the Mexican and the Cuban one; I knew that Peru was a country with a high rate on emigration, but I’ve generally heard about Peruvian migration processes that link Latin American to Europe or to the US, but not to Asia (Japan in this case).
To me the text was really interesting especially when it argues about the differences of migrants once they came back from their country of migration, the change of gender roles and perceptions in the migration process “Jessaca Leinaweaver’s article also addresses the issue of migration from a transnational perspective, examining how Peruvians who work as domestics in Italy reproduce gender and generational relations of inequality in highland Peru through transnational care-giving practices” (p.8), and also about the social status of the migrants “they argue that the disruption of the migrants’ social status and stability (or lack of the same) may be what most impacts immigrants’ lives and identities once abroad.” (p.8).
I would like to know more about how Peruvians are welcomed in other countries of South America; I’ve just came back from a 3-months-long internship in Temuco, in Chile, and I realized how people with Peruvians and Bolivian origins are discriminated in the society there or usually linked to the lowest social status and works. I wonder if in Argentina, Venezuela or in Brazil is also the same for them.
Am 7. February 2017 um 20:31 Uhr
Just to respond to Elena’s question briefly: a translator friend of mine (who incidentally is studying a masters in migration studies) claimed her observation of discrimination toward Peruvians in Chile left her quite shocked whereas in Venezuela it was much less pronounced.
One aspect of the text which I found quite interesting was the mention of work done by Elena Sabogal and Lorena Nuñez concerning “migrants’ ideas about and practices of illegality [which] may be a reflection of their class position in Peru prior to migration.” It resonated with somewhat with me just how differently people approach finding themselves in situations of illegality, or indeed debt, depending on their background class position. I think it would be accurate to say that an individual’s class background and cultural capital is often central in their perception of as well as capacity to deal with situations of precarity. I am myself unfamiliar with Bourdieu’s notions of capital, would his theory constitute a precedent for classifying this phenomenon?