Migration from a psycho – social and cultural perspective in the context of global economic slowdown

Paper Presented in National Seminar Shyamlal College Univ. of Delhi on 5^th of Feb 2010                

 India’s history has been one of great invasions and migration, with much circulation of population from one place to another. Rural to urban migration in India and abroad and migration in the past two decades had been phenomenal. The global economic liberalization, visa rules, work – permits and major incentives in information technology sector and lack of opportunities in India are some of the contributory factors to this rapid pace of migration. Demographic characteristics of different states of India have changed dramatically in past two decades or so and intensity may vary depending on the opportunities but most of them have undergone this process and it is a process that is still on. New discovering in the field of computer’s and IT profession, huge urbanization processes in the Arab world improved mode of transportation and communication networks have been the major factors of migration. This process of migration in some situation was either due to push factors of social discrimination, starvation lack of Information, and lack of infrastructural facilities or due to pull factors of better place for learning, employment motivation to affiliate with the powerful nations and citizens to derive more material benefits and perceived better living conditions. Access to city life is considered a mark of social prestige and upward social mobility, rural scholars, artists; artisan’s, sports person, women and even unskilled workers aspire to move to cities. Role of Industrial work force increased with advancement in Industries and better employment opportunities. Migration is not only to big cities but also to medium and small cities. The process of migration is not only masculine in character but a large number of women have also moved out of their geographical and cultural place of origins. It is indeed difficult to propose that great dominance of village life in India is either an exaggerated compulsion or a conscious choice. Even deficient amount of statistics is perpetuated to maintain this pluralistic and diversified existence of India.

                                The purpose and objective of this paper is to highlight the issue of migration more in Indian context less in International context and the consequences of psycho – social and cultural manifestations in context of global economic slowdown.

First I would like to highlight the cultural object. The process by which cultural elements are borrowed from another society and incorporated into the culture of the recipient group is called diffusion. Diffusion is extremely common Linton an anthropologist has set its impact at the rate of 90 percent. That is not more than 10 percent of traits of most advanced cultures can be attributed to each society’s own unaided efforts. The far reaching effects of diffusion can be understood with the help of an example of a Mumbaikar conservative Hindu citizen. This man awakens in the bed built on a pattern which has been originated in sandalwood furniture of karnatka, his bed covers made from cotton of Gujrat. Silk kurta and pajamas spun and woven by muslim artisan’s from Lucknow, and washes with soap Mysore sandal originated in south India. Before going out for a breakfast he glances through glass window for which materials and manpower used are from Bihar and UP his knife is of steel made in Muradabad and main entry of his house is decorated with Madhubani paintings. The newspaper through which he forms much of his opinions is The Hindu and N. Ram is its Editor or chief Moderator of the views published in it. For his sports entertainment he glues to the television set Samsung (Made in Korea) and in the one – day match against Pakistan Tendulkar is out on Zero and M.S. Dhoni hits a century. His feeling of Mumbaikar gets frustrated and he wants to watch a movie in which actor is Amitabh Bacchan and music composer is A.R. Rahman. As he encounter these dosages of alien culture as a conservative citizen he goes to the temple to be considered a hundred percent Mumbaikar Lord Rama Temple who was also born in Ayodhya.

                                            History is full of examples where new inventions have spread farther and farther depending upon its utility. Diffusion takes place either with direct contact or through intermediaries. The invention of paper is attributed to the Chinese Ts’ailun in A.D. 105. First it was imported from other countries and now every place has become its local manufacturer. In stimulus diffusion knowledge of trait belonging to another culture stimulates the invention of local equivalent. Whole range of western music industry borrows heavily from Indian Classical music. The practice of Yoga, Aahram’s and spiritual enters are far more equipped in western countries than it is in India. While there is a temptation among the scholars to view the dynamics of diffusion similar to a stone sending concentric ripple over still water, this would be an oversimplification of the paradoxical nature of diffusion actually works. Element of material culture such as mechanical processes and Instruments, traits of sports and good health, academic produce are easily selected or rejected on its utility factor. But a real difficulty lies in the transfer of social values and social structure that has long term psychological implications. The practices of drinking wine, playing cards failed to diffuse into Muslim cultures. The basic region behind this is lack of utility of such behavior patterns. Marriages other than its own caste, drinking by women in large numbers could not become a social reality India however selective harmonizing traits of dining discrimination of upper castes with lower castes changed in the urban living conditions and spread of education. When a group or society is in contact with a more powerful society the weaker group is often obliged to acquire cultural elements from the dominant group. This process of extensive borrowing in the context of super – ordinate subordinate relation between societies is usually called acculturation. In contrast to diffusion which involves the voluntary borrowing of culture elements, acculturation or the wholesale borrowing of culture traits comes about as a result of some sort of external pressure. The loss of prestige of established authority is perceived by the host community in case of massive migration population coming in to their place. They also consider a threat to their economic and culture freedom. Social tension is generated through state of mind in which an actor finds uneasy in his environment, apprehensive of future event, worried for the fulfillment of needs restless of assumed resource space occupying by the migrants and uncertain in life because of increase in competition over resources.     

                                     Tension and conflict are both inclusive and exclusive state where one influences the other. Tensions may be both an index as well as aftermath of conflict. The justification and rationalization regarding the functional value of tension depend on ideology, placement and position of the beneficiaries or the losers in a given social order. Tension may also depict a state of misperception conditioned by various personal and situational factors – the roots of which may be in a variety of factors such as prejudice/ stereotype/ discrimination and changing social realities. Stereotype about groups (Us & them) concern the beliefs and expectations that we have concerning what members of those groups are like. Stereotypes can include more than just traits, physical appearance, activity preferences and likely behaviors are common components of stereotype (Biernat & Thmpson 2002). The tendency to perceive  persons belonging to groups other than one’s own as all alike known as out group homogeneity effect ( Linville etal 1989). “They are all the same” or are they? Some illusory correlation can also be formed that does not exist in reality. As an attitude prejudice is reflected in the negative feeling or emotions experienced on the part of prejudice person.

                                        Prejudice originates when members of certain groups perceive material or symbolic threat to their self – esteem. People want to see their own group positively (Tajfel & Turner 1986). According to realistic conflict theory (Bobo - 1983) prejudice develops out of the struggle over land, jobs, adequate in policy making bodies and other desirable outcomes. When such experiencing competition escalates both sides begin to experience hostility and come to view each other in increasingly negative terms. They may label each other as “enemies” view their own group as morally superior and draw the boundaries between themselves and their opponents more firmly and under extreme conditions they may come to see as opposing groups as not even human (Bar. Tal 2003).

                                           The direction of these tensions in moderated or exaggerated by people in power and the Mass – Media. These processes not only determine the direction of social tensions but also influence the mode of their manifestation. The psychological modes of expressing social tensions are signs, gestures, mistrust, apathy aversion, fear, arrogance non co-operation sabotage and at times physical attack. A culturally rich person exercises considerable restraint tolerance and understanding in interacting with other. Since the process of migration has assumed a sizable pace and they also want legitimacy, respectability and it is also motivated by the local leaders vote – bank politics. Those parties or leaders who help them in their settlement process do not forget to perpetuate this us and them divide to strengthen their vote – bank. Interesting aspect of this evaluation is to highlight that social tensions are not always dysfunctional and it has a positive side too that may lead to introspections, invention, creation of idea and cultural synthesis.

                                         These factors of discrimination can be reduced on learning not to hate. One crucial factor to reduce inter group prejudice is the experience of working together. Increased contact between people from different groups can lead to growing recognition of similarities between them. Even in case of interdependence between groups of us and them can favor group equality conceptions. It is noteworthy to understand that had migration been a major problem it would have got strong support of the host society as a whole. But reality suggests that these factors of us and them divide are well orchestrated by of greed, vote – bank politics and other factors. Once these factors of divide is sown its seed the manifestations are not in the hands of those who are its originators and its spreads to the common mass who become victims of such negative prejudice manifestations. No need to mention the creative appetite of media flash with breaking news of such trivial comments. Which acts as reinforcer? The process of global economic slowdown has also resulted in the loss of job inside and outside India. But its impact on Indian scene has not been as severe as it was in case of other western countries. The behavior pattern of an average Indian to save major part of their earning and it has been a great relief in this time of crises. Some of our cultural traits to adjust in two extremes of misery and luxury with equal ease have also been a major factor of relief. We have a behavior pattern of co-existence of the both hardship and easy going life attitudes at the same time. The final contention of this paper is to mention the fact that migration as such is not a problematic phenomenon and if proper mechanisms are in place that of governance most important and other traits of diversity in unity takes the center stage it can be an enriching process. Economic slowdown has also to do a lot with the attitudinal propositions which we can withstand with our values of need based and not greed based consumption pattern. It we are guided by our indigenous value system not copying the behavior pattern or life styles of western countries I strongly believe even impact of such crises will be negligible. What is more needed is selective adaptation of reasoned behavior and qualities and what is not at all needed is the rejection of priorities preferences based on unrealistic prescription of others. Both at a societal and Interpersonal level there is a need to harmonize our values to extend our feeling of togetherness and well being.