Migration is a key factor in the development and globalization of developing countries. India, a developing country, not only prospers because of its government, but networks and remittances of migrants also contribute. While in India, I want to look into who are the people that are migrating, why are they migrating and where are they going. My interest for this topic sparked when I took an international migration course last semester and I would love to not only increase my knowledge surrounding migration, but be able to put it into context. Meaning, depending on the issues that the country is facing or the city, does migration increase or decrease? To have a better understanding on how current situations impact migration, factors known as ‘push’ and ‘pulled’ will help explain patterns of migration. When a resident chooses to leave their homeland due to poverty, environmental, political or economical issues, the migrant has experienced a push factor. While in the ‘pull’ role, safety, opportunity, stability and freedom are some of the factors that migrants consider when deciding where to migrate.
I will aim towards looking at migration patterns as well as India’s migration policies. A group of interesting migrants that play a huge role and impact India’s economy is the NRI’s (non resident Indians). It would enrich my research to view how migration policies affects NRI are who travel to India often for either family or business reasons. In most cities in India, ¼ families have a member or know someone who is a migrant. I would really like to examine the impact that migrants also have on the people they know or keep in touch with. Many migrants keep in touch by sending remittances that helps the countries economy. As well as it is likely that many migrants influence non-migrants.
Migrants can be found specifically in metropolitan areas, so it will be more than possible to study this topic in the cities our trip will be covering. I am expecting to come across distinct groups of migrants in New Delhi compared to those I will come across in Varanasi. Both cities are extremely populated with migrants; yet differentiate in the reasons for their migration. Being the capital of India, New Delhi is most definitely filled with labor migrants as well as student migrants. In the other hand, Varanasi is known as the holy city where millions of Indians make a trip to the Ganges River. While some return to where they’ve came from, many are they to stay and it would enrich my study to figure out why that is.
Specifically I would want to interview labor migrants, student migrants and those who have not migrated before. Including the views of those who have never migrated in my project will contribute to the understanding of the role that migrants play in the country and how they are perceived. Labor migrants can either migrate within India, or migrate out the country. Though it will much easier to interview those who are inside the country. Knowing their reasons for migration as well as the ties that they have with their homeland will serve as help to understand the lives of labor migrants and how they contribute to the urbanization and development of the country. Many of the labor migrants will be people who have the rural in search for better opportunities.
Lastly, I would want to interview Indian student migrates, two who happen to be current L&C students. From previous knowledge, international student migrates tend not categorizes themselves as migrants. Yet they are, and they influence family and friends back home by the connections they keep. Students that leave the country to study are what is referred to a ‘brain drain.’ Brain drain, is what is referred to as the lack of skilled workers due migration. They are viewed as potential skilled laborers that can contribute to the Indian society.
Few of the questions that I will aim to ask are:
1) Do they believe migration actually helps the country or hurts it by loosing potential skilled laborers?
2) What are their views on ‘brain drain?’
3) What are their views on returnees and whether they influence the Indian society by bringing different views and opinions?
Sources:
1) Dash, K. C., & Saha, S. (2013). Inter-state migration and regional disparities in India.
Poverty is one of the main reasons why migration occurs within India; which goes to show that disparities and migration are strongly linked.
2) Kapur, D. (2010). Diaspora, development, and democracy: The domestic impact of international migration from India. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
3) Mahapatro, S. R. (2012). The Changing Pattern of Internal Migration in India Issues and Challenges.
Attempts to understand migration patterns in India as well as how globalization, urbanization play a role.
4) Muzaffar, C. (2007, February 01). The Rise in Remittances to India: A Closer Look.
This study looks at how India is the country with leading recipients of remittances and how that has helped the country economically.
5) Rameez, A., & Varma, D. (2014, February 28). Internal Labor Migration in India Raises Integration Challenges for Migrants.
6) Siddiqui, Z., & Tejada, G. (2014). Development and Highly Skilled Migrants:Perspectives from the Indian Diaspora and Returnees. Retrieved fromhttp://poldev.revues.org/1720
This article looks at how skilled migrants are believed to have the potential to benefit the country.
7) Srivastava, R., University, J. N., Delhi, I. N., & R. (2003). An Overview of Migration in India, Its Impacts and Key Issues.
Migration regarding economics and labor occurs due to ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors that cause people to migrate in order to improve living conditions.
8) Tejada, G., & Return. (2013). Final Research Report Migration, Scientific Diasporas and Development: Impact of Skilled Return Migration on Development in India.
This study examines how skilled migrants view returning necessary for the countries development, yet they often face obstacles applying the skills they have acquired abroad.
9) Thomas, D. (2015, April 29). Brain drain: Boon for developed countries, but bane forIndia.
A result of migration is a term known as brain drain that refers to the lack of potential professionals in the country. Sense not every Indian student is able to attend one of Indias prestigious school, they apply for schools out of the country.
10) Tumbe, C. (2011). Remittances in India: Facts & Issues.
Remittances are broken down into two; for family maintenance, and NRI’s investments in the country. Both contribute to the development of the state.
September 2: Met a migrant student from Delhi University and conversed about what it is like to be a student migrant.
September 9: Skyped with my Indian friend attending Lewis & Clark and talked about her views on students choosing to migrate to pursue their academic career.
September 16: Met with my Delhi friend and asked her about migration and globalization and whether she believed they work in correlation to each other.
September 20: Had a follow up Skype session with my friend at Lewis and Clark and attempted to get an understanding of the reason why people migrate in India in the first place and where do they go,
(It’s a bit hard for me to do participatory research because I’m not going to specific locations to observe student migrants.)
Research In Chennai
October 6: Times of India had an an article on brain drain that I looked more into.
October 8: Found reports by the UNEcSO on Indian student migrants
October 14: Migration policy Institute explains migration patters in India
October 23: speaker on globalization talked about migration In India and some the factors that pull or push migrants out of the country.
October 23: Informally interviewed student from University of Madras
October 25: Email interviewed NIR student in the U.S.