University thesis:
Dissertation, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg im Breisgau, 2012
Footnote:
Description:
Abstract: This thesis analyses the political activism of Philippine and Indonesian migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong by employing the concept of transnational political spaces. <br>Studying the „bottom up“ consequences of transnationalization (Faist 2004) has brought migration research closer to the multiple ties which link migrants to their home country. But while there are numerous studies on family ties, media or economic linkages like remittances, the transnational political activism of migrants has been neglected so far in this context.<br>The thesis argues that there is a phenomenon of transnational political spaces which goes beyond the transnational activism of migrant NGOs. It is based on a case study on Philippine temporary labour migration to Hong Kong. Philippine migrants in Hong Kong form a very dense political space connecting/linking politics in their home country with politics in their destination country. Over the course of 35 years , NGOs have been formed, trade unions have been set up, party chapters have been founded. Some of these institutions not only influence the politics of the Philippine government at home and abroad but also aim to substitute its shortcomings by „governance from below“.<br>In contrast, migrant domestic workers from Indonesia are a more recent phenomenon in Hong Kong. The thesis shows how these "newcomers" have been influenced by the already established networks of the Philippine migrants.This has led to processes of diffusion and grassroots isomorphism, where existing strategies, organisational forms but also political cleavages are diffused among the migrant groups. As a result, over the years two clusters have formed - the "grassroots cluster" and the "NGO cluster".This has made Hong Kong a "hot spot" for migrant activism with repercussions on the local, transnational, regional and global level. <br>The outcomes of the research show how transnational scholarship, multi-sited research and the willingness to “follow the people” not only within their initial networks but also on a larger scale (i.e. global activism) can enrich the analysis of migrant political activism