Week 5:
Gender, Race, and Migration
An
immigrant is commonly defined as an individual who migrates from one country to
another. The individual experiences of immigrants within Canada varies greatly
dependent upon their race, gender, nationality, class, sexuality, and other
life factors. Himani Bannerji, a
sociology professor at York University and the author of The Dark Side of the
Nation identifies and exposes some of the realities of being an immigrant in
Canada. The author explores what it means to either be an insider or an
outsider in Canadian society. According
to Bannerji, to be a “Canadian” is to have white skin and a European, North American background
(Bannerji 64). The author discusses the
issue of Canadian society places labels on individuals from the moment that
they immigrate to Canada. These labels
never fade, regardless of citizenship and permanent residency, within Canadian
society, there is common mentality of once an immigrant, always an immigrant. There is a lasting paradox between a feeling
of belonging and not-belonging. One can
gain citizenship but this does not give them membership to fit into society.
Author
and sociology professor at UBC, Gillian Creese conducted a research study in
Vancouver B.C. looking at the gendered experiences of African immigrants in
Canada. The authors also draws attention to the varied experiences of
immigration and settlement in Canada. Two key terms used in Canada to describe
immigration is that it is a multicultural and diverse nation. The dictionary defines Multiculturalism as
“the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified
society, as a state or nation” and Diversity as “the inclusion of individuals
representing more than one national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic
stratum, sexual orientation, etc.” (Dictionary.com) Through the study, Creese
found that African-Canadian individuals experienced discrimination based on
their accent, discreditation of previous
credentials and work experience, and overall
everyday racism in the workplace.
If
you are interested in the issue of what it means to be an immigrant or
non-Anglo-Canadian in Canada, this TVO interview has many good points and is
worth watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0lf_f1p3gM
. Also, this mini-interview with a married couple who immigrated to Canada from
Bangladesh contextualizes the reality of resettling in Canadian society today. http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-canadian-dream-new-immigrants-ready-to-sacrifice-and-struggle-for-kids-future
Sources:
Bannerji, Himani. The Dark Side of The Nation: Essays on
Multiculturalism, Nationalism and Gender.
Canadian Scholars’ Press, 2000.
(Chapter 2)
Creese, Gillian, The New African Diaspora in
Vancouver: Migration, Exclusion, and Belonging. Toronto: University of Toronto Press,
2011. (Introduction, Chapter 5)
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