Thansamay, Pai Thiaw, Tham Bun:ransnational Modernity of Thai-Isan Migrant Workers
Date Issued
2009
Date
2009
Author(s)
Lin, Yu-Sheng
Abstract
Studies of transnational migrant workers in Taiwan put more emphasis on their limitations in Taiwan, and their resistances facing labor controls. Those studies often ignore transnational workers are locating in a transnational field. Therefore, there are few “transnationalism” studies. From transnationalism, this study discusses connections of transnational field. Take “modernity” as the main issue, this study argues, the transnational connections are not only formed by macro political economy or micro imagination of urban life. We should pay more attention to local social relations and their cultural meanings, and reconnect those connections of different levels. First, from aspects of political economy, this study examines the objective factors forming movement of Thai-Isan workers. The division of labor market and the separation of reproduction from production constitute the background of transnational movement. Besides, Thai and global politico-economic change push Thai-Isan workers to work in different regions. Studies of political economy often simplify actors’ motivations. In Thai-Isan, scholars indicate, the political economic changes cause the desires of ‘urban modernity’, and push Thai-Isan workers to work in the city or abroad. However, this study argues, the rural-urban division is more complex than one-way desire. Thai-Isan workers are often situated in the dilemma of urban life and their northeastern hometown. The dilemma of Thai-Isan migrant workers should be understood with local social relations and cultural meanings. Thai-Isan women work outside fitting economic roles of women in Thai-Isan community. Hoever, they use discourses of “up-to-date” (ทันสมัย thansamay) to form new social relations outside their hometown, and to resist gender control with their home community. Facing threat of women’s mobility and their sexual freedom, the emergence of transnational Thai-Isan male workers could be seen as a reaction to this context. After returning home, men use the discourses of “going playing” (ไปเที่ยว pai thiaw) to emphasize their positive experiences of mobility. Besides, they spend money they earned outside to “make merit” (ทำบุญ tham bun). Those discourses and practices, which are crucial in Thai-Isan socio-cultural life, are used by transnational Thai-Isan male workers to reclaim their status within social relations in Thai-Isan community.
Subjects
Thai Isan
migrant labor
modernity
gender
transnationalism
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