Week 8

Week 8: Neoliberalism and Borders

How does Kwon’s exploration of “the work of waiting” impact the way that we think about immigration policy in a specific country? What kind of map of global migration patterns would be adequate to express the range of labor that people engage in to support one migrant worker?

The “work of waiting” can be defined as a family separated by transnational migration in which one person is working while the other is waiting for the other’s return. Families choose to move for a number of reasons but often cannot afford to move all at once. In many cases, the husband moves first, supports the family financially, and is followed by his wife and children. More specifically, the husband works to earn money, while the wife tries to maintain their marriage. The“work of waiting” refers to the sacrifices that both workers and their families have to make. Waiting for someone is a form of love and work because you work long hours in less than ideal conditions.

The Korean Wind (late 1980s-early 1990s) was when Chinese people began immigrating to Korea. During this time, China was experiencing economic reform and its society was rapidly changing. And Korea had an economic boom after the Korean War known as the “Miracle on the Han River’’. Many families in China saw this as an opportunity to start a new life in Korea.

There are two main arguments in “The Work of Waiting: Love and Money in Korean Chinese Transnational Migration” by June Hee Kwon. One, immigrating to a new country one family member at a time can create a “financial safety net” and also build the foundation for a committed relationship. And two, love can become a type of work and the constant exchange of money can change the expectations in a relationship. Furthermore, Kwon argues that there is a connection between migration and waiting and highlights the difference between mobility and immobility, making money and waiting for money.

To answer the question, Kwon’s exploration of “the work of waiting” makes us rethink immigration policies. These policies should take into account the families that many workers have to support back home. The government should also create laws that make it easy for immigrants to bring over their families. In addition, immigrants are beneficial for the economy. Many workers are unskilled and fill lower-paying jobs. First-generation immigrants tend to have more children, which can help the population crisis that many countries are experiencing

In taking global migration patterns into account, we would have to take the person’s family into account and realize that some immigrants move back home after a few years