Migrant workers

Our presentation deals with the topic „migrant workers“ with a special focus on Asia. First of all we had to attend to the term „migrant workers“ itself and found out that there are different definition based on each National perspective.

By doing researches concerning the reasons and benefits of migration we learned how the treatment of those workers is to be managed in different countries and also that working and living conditions are important aspects. Migrant workers are on the one hand seasonal workers but also stay temporary at a place. Working on fields and in agricultural productions, allows them to send home their wages, which are often low pays, but still a support for their families back home. We also report about different cases of abuse, especially on women and in generell how migrant workers often get exploited.

Of course the whole topic has a huge amount of given informations, facts, numbers and dates, we decided to set a limit, by refering to Asia, especially Chinese migrant workers. On the one hand Asian workers in America (Asian Americans) but also on the other hand, workers in Asia. We tried to refer to a current topic and by that found the case study: Olympic Games 2008.

Be it the news or any other television, during the time of the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing, people actually never got confronted with the topic „migrant workers in China“. About 90% of the Olympic builders were migrant workers from other Asian countries but nobody cared about their living or working conditions during this time. By tiping in terms like „migrant workers“ and „Olympic Games 2008″ you directly get a link to the official homepage of „Olympic Games in Beijing“. There of course the hosts and other person in charge tried to present a good image, especially in terms of „migrant workers“. They uploaded pictures of smiling workers while they were working on huge buildings like the „water cube“ or their food and dormitory supplies. But this is only a given view on the positive aspects, which weren´t accomplished for all workers! Our conclusion is basically that during our research and actuall working process we received only negative views in terms of „treatment on migrant workers“ (most of the time). Also the American view of Asian migrant workers again cast a damning light on America dealing with the term migrant workers. America as a nation of immigration was a most occured aspect during our research and actuall presentation.

by Marina Z. & Mi T.

~ von mi am November 25, 2008.