Demographic Consequences of

Migration and Social Change :

Cross-Cultural Comparisons

Dr Yaghoob (Yaqub) Foroutan

NIDEA, The University of Waikato

Population Association of New Zealand

2011 CONFERENCE

28 and 29 November 2011, University of Auckland

Acknowledgment

University of Waikato‟s FASS Contestable

Research Fund (2010/2011)

ANU Demography Program

2

Research Focus

Market Employment

The most important determinant of a

person‟s standard of living and lifestyle (Collins 1988)

Key indicator of migrants‟ settlement and

success in the host country (VandenHeuvel and Wooden, 1996; Bouma, 1994, Foroutan

2008)

3

The Sources of Discussion

1) Mainly based on a research conducted in

Australia (using customized 2001 census)

2) Preliminary results of a study in New Zealand

3) A case study to show the socialization process

Content Analysis & Logistic Regression 4

Multicultural Context & Social Laboratory

The multi-ethnic and multicultural context of

Australia has been observed as

“a particularly interesting society in which to

examine how immigrant women adapt to

[a] new labour market” (Evans, 1984:1063)

“Social Laboratory” due to its divers ethnic

migrants from throughout the world

5

General Patterns ( % )

6 Source: Computed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Overseas-born women Australian-born women

Employed Workin in High Occupations

General Patterns (multivariate)

7

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

Overseas-born women relative to Australian-born women

Employed Workin in High OccupationsOdds

ratio

Source: Computed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

‘Matter of Time’

8 Source: Computed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9

1

Long-term migrant women

RELATIVE TO Australian-born

women

Short-term migrant women

RELATIVE TO Australian-born

women

Employed Workin in High OccupationsOdds

ratio

‘Family – Work Dilemma’ :

A ‘One-way’ Response

The Experience of

the MENA migrant women in

Australia and NZ

MENA = Middle East and North Africa 9

MENA Gender Characteristics

10

Globally known as a typical place of

gender roles:

patriarchy,

high fertility for women,

Low education, particularly for women

male-breadwinner,

low rate of waged work outside the home

for women

(e.g. Omran & Roudi 1993; Yasmeen 2004; McQuilan 2004; Foroutan 2009;

Beitter and Martinez 2010)

Gender Roles in the MENA

11

(1) High fertility in the MENA region: One of the key reasons for the interest of demographers in studying the association between religion and fertility (McQuillan 2004).

(2) Low FLFP: „Women‟s participation in the formal labour force' in the MENA region is „exceptionally low by world standard‟ (Omran and Roudi, 1993)

12

Socio-demographic characteristics of selected countries of the MENA region

Country

TFR CPR Illiteracy

Ages 15 + (1998)

FLFP

1980-

1985

1995-

2000

2000 Males Females 1990s

Egypt 5.06 3.51 58.4 35 58 24

Lebanon 3.79 2.29 66.3 9 21 25.8

Morocco 5.10 3.00 53.6 40 66 34.5

Qatar 5.45 3.70 na 20 17 46.5

Somalia 7.25 7.25 8.2 na na na

Syria 7.38 3.82 50.2 13 42 19.5

Tunisia 4.90 2.32 67.9 21 42 27

World 3.58 2.83 na 18 32 Na

Australia na 1.70 67.0 - - 68

Sources: International Labour Organisation (2001); Abbasi-Shavazi and Jones (2005); Hull (2005).

13

Recent changes

It is, however, acknowledged that:

Changes in socio-demographic characteristics

associated with women‟s status are occurring in

the MENA region in more recent years.

especially, these days ! NEXT ?

Egypt Libya Yemen

“Cultural Distance”

But, now, they live in a country with different

cultural values associated with women‟s status

such as low fertility and high FLFP

Gender & Migration

„New information and new opportunities

produce pressure for change‟ (Dharmalingam

and Morgan 1996: 201). And, migration does it !

„Women, especially educated women, often

leave their origin to free themselves from

traditional controls‟ (Hugo 2000: 297).

15

16

MENA

migrant

women

in

Australia

17

Grouping Population %

Migrant women from: - 100.00

MENA region 49,010 3.78

Developed countries (UK, NZ) 631,623 48.78

Others (mainly Asians) 614,277 47.44

Native-born 3,852,279 -

Not sated 220,195 -

Total 5,373,295 -

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – The 2001 Census

Women in working ages (15-54) in Australia by migration status, 2001

18

MENA migrant women in Australia by country of birth, 2001

Country of birth % Country of birth %

Lebanon 54.2 Ethiopia 2.7

Egypt 17.1 Jordan 2.7

Syria 5.2 Kuwait 1.9

Israel 4.2 Eritrea 1.4

Sudan 2.9 Others 5.0

Somalia 2.7 Total 100.0

Others: Libya, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Algeria,

Yemen, Tunisia, Oman, Qatar.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – The 2001 Census

Women’s Employment status ( % )

19

33.6

59.8 66.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

MENA migrants Other migrants Native-born

Not stated Not employed Employed

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – The 2001 Census

20

MENA Female migrants’ employment status

(Odds ratio)

Probability of being employed for MENA migrant women

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

Relative to All Other Migrants Relative to Native-born

Odd

s ra

tio

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – The 2001 Census

MENA

migrants in

New Zealand

21

Demographic Profile

NZ Population and MENA by Sex Ratio

Groups

1986

1991

1996

2001

2006

Total NZ 98.2 97.2 96.6 95.2 95.3

NZ-born 97.6 96.0 95.4 95.4

Overseas-born 101.3 96.0 94.2 94.3

MENA migrants 120.2 136.1 127.7 123.2 119.4

- Population 1,671 3,195 7,227 12,171 16,551

22

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand

NZ’s MENA migrants by major individual country

of birth

23

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1986 2006

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand

Median Age, 2006

Groups

Females

Males

North Africa 39.9 39.0

Middle East 33.6 34.2

Overseas-born (total) 42.1 42.4

NZ-born 40.6 39.4

24

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand

Duration of Residence in NZ, 2006

25

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

North Africa Middle East Total Overseas Born

Less tha 10 yrs 10-19 years 20 years and more

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand

Highest Qualification, Aged 15+ (2006)

26

Tertiary Degree

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

North Africa Middle East Oversesa-born NZ-Born

Males Females

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand

# of Children born alive, women aged 15+

(2006)

27

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0

North Africa Middle East Overseas-born NZ Born

No Children 1-2 children 3 Children +

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand

Labour Force Participation (Females)

28

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

1996 2001 2006

North Africa Middle East Overseas Born NZ-born

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand

Labour Force Participation (2006)

29

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

North Africa Middle East Overseas Born NZ-born

Males Females

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand

Unemployment Rate (Females)

30

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1996 2001 2006

North Africa Middle East Overseas Born NZ-born

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand

Unemployment Rate (2006)

31

0

5

10

15

20

25

North Africa Middle East Overseas Born NZ-born

Females Males

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand

32

Religion & Integration

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

N Afr., M.East

Lebanon

SE Asia

C.& NE Asia

Australia

South Asia

Turkey, Cyp., Gre.

Developed

E. Europe

Sub Sah, Carr.,Pac Is

Cou

ntry

/Reg

ion

of b

irth

Odds ratio

Source: Computed from The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

Likelihood of being employed: Non-Muslims relative to Muslims by region of origin

Explanations & Interpretation

„the male sex is everywhere

privileged- sometimes the gap is

wide, sometimes narrow‟

(Epstein 2007:3).

Epstein, C.F. (2007), Great divides: The cultural,

cognitive, and social bases of the global subordination of

women, American Sociological Review, Vol. 72: 1-22.

33

Explanations & Discussion

Why lower employment status for female

migrants, relative to natives?

Particularly for migrants from the MENA region

and for migrants

Two plausible explanations are discussed here

34

35

1. Discrimination Hypothesis

Female migrants are likely to be discriminated in the labour market

Immigrants in the host society are more likely to be particularly vulnerable and discriminated

(Kelley and McAllister, 1984; Evans and Kelley 1991; Carr and Chen 2004; Foroutan 2011)

Combination of Gender/Migration:

Higher discrimination (Sorenson 1993; Foroutan 2008)

36

1. Discrimination Hypothesis

These groups are more likely to be discriminated:

'those ethnic groups which remain culturally distinct' (Evans and Kelley, 1986: 189)

'persons who are visibly different' (Anker, 1998: 18)

These can be particularly the case for Muslim migrants from the MENA region

Due to Religious Identity/Symbols: Dress Codes, Religious Names

37

1. Discrimination Hypothesis

Almost Equal Occupational Opportunity:

Doubt on Discrimination Hypothesis

Source: Computed Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – The 2001 Census

Occupational levels

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

Total: Muslims relative to Non-Muslims

MENA women: Muslims relative to Non-Muslims

MENA women relative to other migrant women

MENA women relative to native-born women

Australian-born: Muslims relative to Non-Muslims

2. Cultural Explanation

This explanation lies in the process of

Socialization (gender socialization).

So, we need to look at “from Inside” the region.

According to the literature, low level of gender

outcomes such as low FLFP in the MENA

region is the consequence of educational system (e.g Omran and Roudi 1993; Zurayk and Saadeh 1995; Anker

&Anker 1995; Riley 1998; Moghadam 1999; Riley and

McCarthy 2003; McQuiilan 2004; Yasmeen 2004) 38

Socialization Theory

According to this theory, the first official

source and the most powerful agent of gender

socialization are schools and school-textbooks (e.g. Britton and Lumpkin 1977; Arbuthnot 1984; Bender and

Leone 1989; Lee and Collins 2008).

Children‟s books operate as an engine of

gender socialization to transfer cultural

standards and gender ideology (Taylor 2003)

39

A Look “from Inside”

Content analysis of school-textbooks in a

Middle Eastern country, the Islamic

Republic of Iran, (2010/2011)

How gender roles and women‟s work

patterns have been represented in these

educational materials?

40

Who does “Domestic Duties”?

School level Woman Man Total

Total

77.3

22.7

100.0

Primary school 80.5 19.5 100.0

Intermediate sch. 71.7 28.3 100.0

High school 75.0 25.0 100.0

41

This is by “ pictures ”. The same patterns in the “ texts ”

Source: Foroutan (2010)

Who does “Work outside the home”?

42

School level Woman Man Total

Total

19.4

80.6

100.0

Primary school 20.6 79.4 100.0

Intermediate sch. 17.8 80.2 100.0

High school 21.7 78.3 100.0

This is by “ pictures ”. The same patterns in the “ texts ”

Source: Foroutan (2010)

Traditional gender division &“Male-breadwinner Model”

43

Roles/duties Woman Man Total

Domestic duties

77.3

22.7

100.0

Work outside the home

19.4

80.6

100.0

Source: Foroutan (2010)

“Male-breadwinner Model”

These work patterns have also been found

in other countries of the MENA region

(e.g Omran and Roudi 1993; Zurayk and Saadeh

1995; Anker &Anker 1995; Moghadam 1999).

44

45

2. Cultural Explanation

Migrant women from the MENA region tend to

Give preference to the values of their origin where

family is in the top priority and plays more important

role, and gender roles are mainly determined within

household.

Just living in a country that has its own values

But they stay committed to the values of their own

family and region

Incomplete Integration into the culture of the

residing society

Transition of Values upon migration?: Not Necessarily

46

Conclusion 1. The results of this study present evidence supporting the

fact that:

Although 'new information and new opportunities produce

pressure for change…' (Dharmalingam and Morgan 1996: 201),

But 'migration of women does not necessarily initiate a

change in their role and status‟ (Hugo 2000: 300).

2. MENA migrant women mainly tend to keep the culture of

their region which gives first priority to family and

household.

3. This means that although they migrated to Australia which

is a geographical island, they prefer to shape their own

cultural island.

Geographical Island

47

NZ

48

Island in Island

Cultural

Island

MENA Migrant Women

Geographic

Island

Two Wings: Integration & Socialization

This newly-born baby is crying NOW

because s/he was in a very safe place

over PAST 9 months !

To understand properly the Integration of female

migrants NOW, we also need to study the

Socialization process in the PAST.

49

THANK YOU

50

“All knowledge that is about human

society, and not about the natural world,

is historical knowledge, and therefore

rests upon judgment and interpretation.

This is not to say that facts or data are

non-existent, but that facts get their

importance from what is made of them

in interpretation …for interpretations

depend very much on who the

interpreter is, who he or she is

addressing, what his or her purpose is,

at what historical moment the

interpretation takes place.” 51

Edward Said

(1935-2003)

THANK YOU

52

53

References Bouma, G. (1994), Mosques and Muslim Settlement in Australia, Canberra:

Australian Government Publishing Service

Foroutan, Y. (2010), Gender Socialization in Iranian Textbooks, [in Persian],

Women in Development and Politics (Pajohesh Zanan), Vol. 8, No. 3: 195-216.

Foroutan, Y. (2009), "Migration and Gender Roles: Typical Work Pattern of the

MENA Women”, International Migration Review. Vol. 43, No. 4: 974-992.

Foroutan, Y. (2009), "Religion, Migration and Social Change: Christian-Muslim

Differentials", Australian Religion Studies Review, Vol. 22 (3): 295-321.

Foroutan, Y. (2009), "Gender and Religion: The Status of Women in the Muslim

World", The World's Religions: Continuities and Transformations, eds. P. Clarke and P. Beyer, London and New York: Routledge Publication.

Foroutan, Y. (2008), "Women's Employment, Religion and Multiculturalism:

Socio-demographic Emphasis", Journal of Population Research, 25(1):63-90.

Hugo, G. (2000), „Migration and Women's Empowerment‟, IN: Women's

Empowerment and Demographic Processes: Moving Beyond Cairo,

Oxford University Press.

Yasmeen S (2004), „Muslim Women and Human Rights in the Middle East and

South Asia‟, IN: Islamic Perspective on the New Millennium, Singapore:

Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

54

An Interesting Work Pattern

First stage (employment status):

Whether or not “Employed”

The focus is on all women.

Second stage (occupational status):

Whether or not working in “High occupations” (professionals and managers)

The focus is only on employed women

55

An Interesting Work Pattern

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

MENA women: Muslims relative to Non-Muslims

MENA women relative to other migrant women

MENA women relative to native-born women

O dds ratio

Employment status Occupational levels

Source: Computed from The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

56

An Interesting Work Pattern

While migrant women from the MENA region are

less likely to be employed (relative to both

natives and other migrants),

They are almost as likely as natives to work in

high occupations; and even slightly more likely

than other migrants to work in high occupations.

This work pattern can be explained by

„the filtering effect‟ or „selectivity hypothesis‟:

57

„Filtering effect‟ & „Selectivity hypothesis‟

Those migrant women from the MENA region who overcome the employment barriers (including household-related difficulties like child care or family traditional values limiting women‟s work outside the home) [First stage], are then likely to be selective of those who obtain employment in high occupational levels [Second stage].

Again, this echoes a greater influence of family values associated with gender roles on the work pattern of migrant women from the MENA region (relative to the influence of just simply migrating to a place where FLFP is substantially high).

58

Competing determinants

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Educational level

Age of children

English proficiency

Religious affiliation

Partner's income

Duration of residence

Age composition

Odds ratio

Human capital and family formation

play more important role in women‟s work status.

Source: Computed Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – The 2001 Census

59

All findings

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

MENA women: Muslims relative to Non-Muslims

MENA women relative to DECO women

MENA women relative to other migrant women

Other migrant women relative to native-born women

DECO women relative to native-born women

MENA women relative to native-born women

O dds ratio

Employment status Occupational levels

Source: Computed Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – The 2001 Census

60

COUNTRY/REGION OF BIRTH %

COUNTRY/REGION OF BIRTH %

1. Developed Countries % 5. Eastern Europe %

United Kingdom 44.1 Eastern Europe 34.4

New Zealand 20.5 Yugoslavia, F. R 17.2

Western Europe 9.0 FYROM (Macedonia) 15.8

2. South East Asia % 6. South Asia %

Viet Nam 30.1 India 49.2

Philippines 24.8 Sri Lanka 31.1

Malaysia 15.4

3. Central & North East Asia % 7. North Africa, Middle East %

Chinese Asia 83.8 Lebanon 54.2

Iraq 7.0 Egypt 17.1

Iran 5.7 Israel 4.2

4. Sub Sahara, Caribbean, Pac. Is. % 8. Greece, Turkey, Cyprus %

Polynesia 33.1 Greece 55.4

Southern&Eastern Africa 31.0 Turkey 29.6

Melanesia 13.3 Cyprus 14.9

% of Major Countries Within Each Region of Birth for All Women aged 15-54

61

0102030405060708090

100

Leba

non

N A

fr., M

.Eas

t

C.&

NE

Asia

Turk

ey, C

, G

SE

Asia

E. E

urop

e

S. A

sia

Dev

elop

ed

Sub

Sah

, Car

r.,Pa

c Is

Employed Not employed

Employment status of overseas born Muslim women aged 15-54

Source: Computed from The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

62

Muslim women by region of birth

Country/Region of birth Population %

Lebanon 11,766 19.4

Turkey, Greece, Cyprus 10,712 17.6

Central & North East Asia 7,958 13.1

South Asia 6,513 10.7

South East Asia 6,369 10.5

Eastern Europe 5,868 9.7

North Africa, Middle East 5,835 9.6

Sub Sahara, Caribbean, Pac. Is. 3,988 6.6

Developed countries 1,324 2.2

Inadequately described 453 0.8

TOTAL 60,789 100

NZ Muslim Immigrants, 1991 - 2006

63

Islam/Muslim 1991 1996 2001 2006

Male (%) 56.1 54.7 54.0 na

Female (%) 43.9 45.3 46.0 na

Total 6096 13545 23637 36072

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand (Census data)

NZ Muslims by ethnic group, 1991 - 2006

64

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0

50.0

55.0

Asian Middle

Eastern/Latin

American/African

European Maori Pacific Peoples

2006 2001

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand (Census data)

NZ Muslims by major birthplace,

2001

65

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

Source: Computed from Statistics New Zealand (Census data)