BY STUDENT
As a person who has family in a different country, I tend to see transnationalism on a firsthand basis. There are times when my family sometimes has to send money to our family back home to help them afford some of the things they need to buy because the prices keep going up but their wages aren’t. This is one of the major reasons that people are migrating to the United States. They are coming here knowing that they are going to lose the majority of the civil liberties they would be have in their homelands but they can no longer afford to live there. And I began to wonder why we allow so many U.S. corporate companies to pay these undocumented immigrants and international workers such low wages as well work in such degrading conditions?
In the film, Sixth Section, by Alex Rivera we see how the undocumented workers from Mexico, Grupo Union, contributed to both of their economies regardless of their status. They worked grueling hours and most weekends in Newburgh, New York doing odd jobs to earn money for their families as well as to be able to send money back to their hometown of Boqueron, Mexico. Grupo Union was able to get more done than the actual government itself in Mexico and I think that is unacceptable. People are working so hard and there is absolutely nothing to show for it when they stay in their homelands. They feel as though they need to leave to prosper even though they aren’t actually ending up in ideal situations most of the times.
With the new transnational urban system most of the forms of economic activity have switched over from manufacturing to more service based industries according to Saskia Sassen. Workers went from working in factories in terrible conditions for very low wages to working as maids, nannies, or as construction workers. This has created a larger division of labor between the classes. It has also increased spatial inequalities that are effecting the people that are living in these cities.
As a person who has family in a different country, I tend to see transnationalism on a firsthand basis. There are times when my family sometimes has to send money to our family back home to help them afford some of the things they need to buy because the prices keep going up but their wages aren’t. This is one of the major reasons that people are migrating to the United States. They are coming here knowing that they are going to lose the majority of the civil liberties they would be have in their homelands but they can no longer afford to live there. And I began to wonder why we allow so many U.S. corporate companies to pay these undocumented immigrants and international workers such low wages as well work in such degrading conditions?
In the film, Sixth Section, by Alex Rivera we see how the undocumented workers from Mexico, Grupo Union, contributed to both of their economies regardless of their status. They worked grueling hours and most weekends in Newburgh, New York doing odd jobs to earn money for their families as well as to be able to send money back to their hometown of Boqueron, Mexico. Grupo Union was able to get more done than the actual government itself in Mexico and I think that is unacceptable. People are working so hard and there is absolutely nothing to show for it when they stay in their homelands. They feel as though they need to leave to prosper even though they aren’t actually ending up in ideal situations most of the times.
With the new transnational urban system most of the forms of economic activity have switched over from manufacturing to more service based industries according to Saskia Sassen. Workers went from working in factories in terrible conditions for very low wages to working as maids, nannies, or as construction workers. This has created a larger division of labor between the classes. It has also increased spatial inequalities that are effecting the people that are living in these cities.
Work Cited Sixth Section, Alex Rivera, 2003 [23 min.]
Sassen, Saskia. 2002. “National and Transnational Urban Systems” in Cities in a World Economy [35]
I agree that situations like the one that occured in the film Sixth Sense shouldn't have to happen. The Grupo Union gave back to their community as much as they could, more than the government in that area did actually. I believe some more expansion on the transnational urban system and how it related back to the nations would have helped classify transnational urban latinization.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your argument as someone whose family also send money to my family in El Salvador. Despite everything one might send, my parents still had to work hard and often hold more than one job at a time. Just like you mentioned in the film we watched in class, this is not the only example where groups in the United States send money back to their communities in their home countries and remain undocumented here in the United States. The effort is truly noble and worthwhile to know about.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to see this because the United States criminalize these undocumented workers, just for having no papers. The term "undocumented" often is paired with "criminal", "lazy" and other negative terms. The film just shows that complete opposite of that and shows the different side that most do not know of, including myself.
Great read!
I can agree with your thought on having a firsthand view of transnationalism. My father also came from another country, and he also sends back money and barrels of items to them sometimes too. The way in which undocumented immigrants are treated in general, as well as in regards to pay, has always been a touchy subject. It is clear to see that man people are here to work and have down their interest in working to support their familes. The sixth section really shows this apect of their lives. It shows that their working here is not at all based off of exploitation, as many people on politics assume they are, but just working to make a living just like the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteI think it is sad how we give immigrants such a hard time in order for them to have a better life. Most of the people coming to the United States are moving due to economic issues in their country that are caused by the United States. Most of them do not even want to migrate here and leave their families, but only do it because they have to support them. I agree with your thought on firsthand view of transnationalism. I think it is great how this movie portrays the other part of the life of an immigrant. Many people have this miconception that immigrants are taking peoples job and cheating the economy. It was great to see how how these immigrants that apparently serve such a threat are the same ones who are helping their country back home to make it better.
ReplyDeleteI found your post to be interesting. As a person that migrated from a different country, I have also experienced many unbelievable things in this country. The laws in this country only seem to benefit those in power. When those who think they are losing their country to immigrants, they start to create more laws or have riots about sending these people back to their countries. Even though most of them will not accept low income jobs as undocumented or immigrants workers do. Like you mentioned in the film Sixth Section, we saw that immigrants are benefiting both countries and are very hardworking.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I really enjoyed reading your introduction as well as your entire post. The film you mentioned was extremely interesting to me because I live just on the other side of the bridge from Newburgh. I had no idea any of that even happened, but I think it is extremely great. I also like how you brought in your personal experiences, and I also want to know why they are paid so little to do some of the most grueling jobs.
ReplyDeleteAs a resident of Newburgh, I have witnessed the immense amount of transnationalism the Mexican people in my neighborhood have. They are very family orientated, and work very hard to support their families both in America and Mexico. It is very disheartening that they don't receive livable wages and often have to work long hours or do rigorous jobs to receive a decent check.
ReplyDeleteMy family also sends money, clothes, and supplies back home to my family in Jamaica.So I also get to see trans nationalism on a first-hand basis. Most of my cousins dream of the U.S and hope for a home and future here one day so it is sad that they are put in a situation where they feel like they have to up-root their whole life in order to get a chance at success and when they do they are still not given a good shot at the American dream!
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