Why new migrants always fail to integrate into the mainstream society?
Thanks to globalization, migration has become a global phenomenon and people are always in the move. Some migrate for family reunion, other move for job, pleasure or new venture. But most people move from one nation to another for better life and economic migrants are said to be the main reason why people move in such great numbers.
Barring irredentism, migration is always a very hard journey and many will fail along the road. Starting a new life in a foreign country is extremely hard. It is not only the language, tradition, and custom that are different but also the whole damn way of life as well. And everything has to be restarted new from the scratch again. One’s entire life can slither away while trying to adjust oneself to the new surroundings.
But the hardest part of them all is the stereotyped perception that the locals harbor about the new migrants and it said to be the main reason why new migrants always fail to integrate into the mainstream society. The locals dislike, denigrate and discriminate against the new migrants; the laws and systems of the new land itself unfairly treat new migrants; and the locals not only believe but also behave as superior to the new arrivals. As a result, the mainstream society will not only ignore, bully and look down to the new arrivals but also segregate them. It would eventually create an invisible barrier between the two and make the process of integrating into the main society very hard.
The systematic policy of discrimination and disparity creates an unfair society and avoids better opportunity to the new arrivals. As a result, the new arrivals end up doing lowly odd jobs and rarely prosper in their newly adopted home. Lack of opportunity and successes not only frustrate them but also make them sad and homesick. It is about time when they feel unwelcomed as well as unwanted and will start seeking out for changes.
First of all, they will start searching out for their own type, make friends and create association for a long term goal. It will start with families and friends, and then origin of place, village and area, followed by hobbies, professions and connections. Individuals will become groups, groups will become communities and communities will become institutions. Only then, the locals will start noticing the very existence of such communities as a whole and treat them better if not as equals.
If the numbers of such new migrants are substantially big and they managed to unite as one, it can become a powerful institution and can fight and protect for its own rights, benefits and identities. It is the only way of making the locals listen for their needs and the key word is always ‘United as one’. If not, it will be just too insignificant for the local authority to pay any attention towards them.
In search of new home and respect in the society, the new arrivals will have no choice but to start creating a small nation within the nation and it will keep them away from the mainstream society. They will try finding new hope, success and meaning of life within their small world and learn to be happy with it.
But it comes with a price. As the chance of being integrated with the mainstream society will be lost once and for all, they will never become the part of the new nation as a whole and having such pockets of unknown and foreign element within the society is risky. Everything will be just fine as long as they are happy. But as well know, it is mostly at the bottom tiers of the society where vices flourish and give room for troubles including homemade terrorism.
Frustration, resentment and delusion are the main roots of evil. If not handled with care, it can easily become a serious problem for any society. Relevant parties should heed and help support the new migrants in the best possible way so they can integrate with the mainstream society. As the saying goes, ‘Precaution is always the better cure’ and we should never take the plights of the new migrants lightly.
TIM I GURUNG/AUTHOR AT ISSLCARE – http://www.timigurung.com
Barring irredentism, migration is always a very hard journey and many will fail along the road. Starting a new life in a foreign country is extremely hard. It is not only the language, tradition, and custom that are different but also the whole damn way of life as well. And everything has to be restarted new from the scratch again. One’s entire life can slither away while trying to adjust oneself to the new surroundings.
But the hardest part of them all is the stereotyped perception that the locals harbor about the new migrants and it said to be the main reason why new migrants always fail to integrate into the mainstream society. The locals dislike, denigrate and discriminate against the new migrants; the laws and systems of the new land itself unfairly treat new migrants; and the locals not only believe but also behave as superior to the new arrivals. As a result, the mainstream society will not only ignore, bully and look down to the new arrivals but also segregate them. It would eventually create an invisible barrier between the two and make the process of integrating into the main society very hard.
The systematic policy of discrimination and disparity creates an unfair society and avoids better opportunity to the new arrivals. As a result, the new arrivals end up doing lowly odd jobs and rarely prosper in their newly adopted home. Lack of opportunity and successes not only frustrate them but also make them sad and homesick. It is about time when they feel unwelcomed as well as unwanted and will start seeking out for changes.
First of all, they will start searching out for their own type, make friends and create association for a long term goal. It will start with families and friends, and then origin of place, village and area, followed by hobbies, professions and connections. Individuals will become groups, groups will become communities and communities will become institutions. Only then, the locals will start noticing the very existence of such communities as a whole and treat them better if not as equals.
If the numbers of such new migrants are substantially big and they managed to unite as one, it can become a powerful institution and can fight and protect for its own rights, benefits and identities. It is the only way of making the locals listen for their needs and the key word is always ‘United as one’. If not, it will be just too insignificant for the local authority to pay any attention towards them.
In search of new home and respect in the society, the new arrivals will have no choice but to start creating a small nation within the nation and it will keep them away from the mainstream society. They will try finding new hope, success and meaning of life within their small world and learn to be happy with it.
But it comes with a price. As the chance of being integrated with the mainstream society will be lost once and for all, they will never become the part of the new nation as a whole and having such pockets of unknown and foreign element within the society is risky. Everything will be just fine as long as they are happy. But as well know, it is mostly at the bottom tiers of the society where vices flourish and give room for troubles including homemade terrorism.
Frustration, resentment and delusion are the main roots of evil. If not handled with care, it can easily become a serious problem for any society. Relevant parties should heed and help support the new migrants in the best possible way so they can integrate with the mainstream society. As the saying goes, ‘Precaution is always the better cure’ and we should never take the plights of the new migrants lightly.
TIM I GURUNG/AUTHOR AT ISSLCARE – http://www.timigurung.com
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