Crisis of ImmigrationCrisis of ImmigrationPart IIPart II

Europe, Mediterranean, and the Mideast:

• Readings:

– “Blockage of Mobility”

– “Wave of Middle East Migration”

– “To Saudi with Love”

Immigration:

European Crackdown:

Side effect of depression or was it a response to workers’ power?

- Typical account of anti-immigration laws and policies (W. Europe) in early 1970’s argue:

• Attacks on immigrants began with downturn of 1974-1975

• Attacks used as a method of exporting unemployment

• US (capitalism & its representatives) the enemy, immigrants the victims

“Blockage of Morality”:

Shows that:

- Crackdowns predate rapid rise in unemployment

- Crackdowns a response to growing ability of immigrants and French workers to collaborate

- Crackdowns a response to foreign workers’ demands on employers (wages) and state (housing)

- Crackdowns a response to a failure of old means of control that no longer worked

- No more pitting cheap foreign labor against more expensive labor

“Second Generation Problem”:Important element in the problem of control:

- Defined as the problem in which first generation immigrants were willing to take low paying jobs

- However, their children – having been raised in the host country – refused such low paying jobs

- These children viewed low paying jobs as second class

- Refused to be treated in school as if they were destined for these jobs

- Instead were rebellious – individually & in gangs

Extended Analysis:

Extended analysis from “host” countries to the “source” countries:

- Phenomenon analyzed in terms of ways in which immigrants are carriers of antagonism

- They circulate experiences of life and needs and struggle

- Circulated from source, to host, and back

- Creates interlinkage among geographical sites of crisis

Oil & Immigrant Labor:

Moving to the Mideast:

- 1978 IMF article accounts importation of 2 million plus workers, accelerated by increased oil revenues after 1974

- IMF speaks in terms of “supply and demand management measures”

- IMF wanted state policy makers to maximize pecuniary benefits and minimize costs – including social & political costs

Midnight Notes Material:- In the oil producing Gulf states, recognizes

managerial side of immigrant labor force

- Makes antagonistic agency of the immigrant workers’ problems much more visible

- Also makes the political aspect of labor market “management” more visible

- Perspective emphasized entire community – unwaged family as well as waged oil field labor

- Midnight Notes recognized community as the site of maintenance & reproduction of oil industry labor

- Made “economic” issues political

Labor of Reproduction:- Labor of reproduction often done by immigrant labor

– often female (Sri Lankans & Philippinos)- Such work often low paid and women have few

rights- Often work under terrible conditions – such as

dealing with beatings, rapes, & other forms of mistreatment)

- Typically little to no backup from immigrants’ governments

- Just like in production, immigrants pitted against one another

Countries of Origin:- Implications for workers left behind in countries of

origin

- Those left behind often faced with more work

- Women required to handle jobs previously performed by men

- In some cases, women find access to new sources of power

- Shift of power can have transformative impact on gender relationship in the home country

What Does the Analysis Support?

- Supports argument that Gulf War was less about controlling Hussein & Iraqi military

- War more about controlling oil-producing labor force

- Prior to war, there was an increase in instability in the area due to workers’ resistance

- War resulted in major reorganization of the labor force, with wholesale deportation of troublesome workers

- Massive decomposition of labor force power

-End-