HILD12-Discussion
Week 7:
Military occupations in a foreign land almost certainly would draw strong responses in the local people regardless of gender as they are the oppressed; they are the ones being monitored/controlled; and they are the ones forced to look at and endure the day-to-day reminder of failure to action. This is especially true for the ones who has built the place and put in efforts as “farmers”. In the statements given in lecture, we can see that the attitude was determined. The reasons come from both the refusal to leave the land they work on and/or is familiar with, and the consideration for their offsprings’ future when they mentioned “We cannot cultivate in a place like this, which we know to be a wasteland. We cannot take our children there”. They attribute the survival to assisstance from other women, which is a clear sign that a group identity is built. A sense of cohesion that’s difficult to break at this point. And that they have learned to rely on their own strength which makes the military occupations even more resentful and is something that they can act on.
Week 8:
In Kwon’s song “The work of waiting”, he succintly summarized the pain of family separation due to men in the family working oversea as foreign labor. He not only showed desparation many of the families might have felt, but also demonstrated the hope of reunion — “We are waiting to be together again, someday”. Although he also mentioned that there are existential changes taking place at the time as shown in the Korean Chinese upward class mobility, the desire of family reunion is still impossible to ignore. We may think about immigration policies differently for these families, for these migrated workers in this specific context between China & Korea. How immigration policy makers may take into consideration the most instincutal wish of people wanting to be with their families. The resulting global migration patterns may be demonstrated in A Map of Racial Capitalism in post-war East Asia in order to depict the flow of labor in-between countries as well as call for attention to the problem of unintentional family separation for these immgrant workers.
Week 9:
Again, music comes into play with immigration & place-making. Music and other forms of art may be the most easily-understandable way of communication that can echo in the minds of so many people to bring about changes in fighting for immigration justice. Just like Goffe discussed, Reggae production bonded the Chinese immigrant workers (small retail-store owners and the local Jamaican people) while promoted the extra-coloniality spread in local regions. Music may play a role in place-making for immigrants. Similarly, in “Coming to you, Minu”, the band also brings more influence than purely music. The band uses lyrics to reflect the lives of immigrant workers, their lifestyles, and are reminiscent in songs such as “Payday”. In putting immigrants’ plight under spotlight, the music creates a similar bond between local people and these foreign workers. Bands use music to create a more far-reaching network and deeper meanings. It is even mentioned that migrants facing similar difficult situations, who finds empathy in music, “belt out a chorus”. Hence, music production, much similar to cultural production, gives immigrants sense of relief & familiarity, open local people’s eyes to immigrant workers’ struggle; and thus is often key in igniting fights for immigrant justice.
