Migration in South Asia: IMISCOE Regional Reader (IMISCOE Research Series)

This open access Regional Reader provides a contemporary look at the emerging challenges and issues facing South Asian migration amidst covid-19 and discusses a framework for a sustainable and cooperative migration from and within the region, which will impact both the economic and regional development of South Asia. The book draws a focus on this area through an interdisciplinary and holistic lens and follows the three broad areas of migration studies in South Asia: Governance and mobility, Family, health and demography, and Forced migration. It thereby covers a number of issues from South Asian countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and the Maldives. This book is a valuable resource for those who want to understand the dynamics of migration from the largest migrant-sending region in the world and one which will determine the shape of global migration patterns in the future. Contents Contributors List of Figures List of Tables Part I: Governance and Mobility: Retrospect and Prospect Chapter 1: Migration in South Asia: Old and New Mobilities 1.1 South Asian Migration: Changing Patterns and Dynamics 1.2 Remittances 1.3 COVID-19 and Its Aftermath: Implications for South Asian Migration 1.4 Organization of the Reader References Chapter 2: Internal and Forced Migration and Economic Development in South Asia 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Internal Migration Within Countries of South Asia 2.3 Migration and Economic Development in South Asia 2.4 Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Asia 2.4.1 Historical Contexts 2.4.2 Existing Forced Migration Statistics 2.4.3 Present Situation and the Future of Forced Migration 2.5 Conclusion and Policy Recommendations References Chapter 3: Non-traditional Migration in South Asia 3.1 Background 3.2 Setting the Scene 3.3 Theorizing NTM 3.4 Non-traditional Migration 3.5 MM2H (Second Home) 3.6 Citizenship by Investment 3.7 Conclusions References Chapter 4: International Migration in Bangladesh: A Political Economic Overview 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Migration History in Bangladesh 4.3 Migration in Contemporary Bangladesh 4.4 The Role of the State in Migration in Bangladesh 4.5 Legal and Institutional Mechanisms for Migration Management 4.6 Laws 4.7 Five Year Plans 4.8 Migration Diplomacy 4.9 Cooperation (MoC) with Japan in 2018 4.10 Migration Governance Abroad 4.11 Financial Services for the Migrants 4.12 COVID19 Responses of the State 4.13 Conclusion References Chapter 5: Labour Migration from Nepal: Trends and Explanations 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Nepal –Changing Trends of Migration 5.3 Migration to India 5.4 Migration to Countries Other than India (Mainly Gulf Countries and Malaysia) 5.5 Migration to Developed Countries 5.6 Covid-19 Pandemic and Emigration from Nepal 5.7 Composition of Migrants in Different Streams 5.8 Explaining Migration for Work from Nepal 5.9 Push and Pull Factors 5.10 Other Explanations of Migration 5.11 Conclusion References Chapter 6: Navigating Between Nation and Civilization: Regimes of Citizenship and Migration Under Bharatiya Janata Party 6.1 Civilizational Nation 6.2 Nation’s Civilizational Base 6.2.1 Land and Its People 6.2.2 The World Outside 6.2.3 The Unassimilable Other 6.3 Nationalizing Civilization 6.3.1 Assimilation/Liberation 6.3.2 Deferred War of Civilizations 6.4 Citizenship Regimes References Chapter 7: Understanding Temporary Labour Migration Through the Lens of Caste: India Case Study 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Data and Methods 7.3 Results and Discussion 7.3.1 Pattern of Temporary Labour Migration 7.3.2 Caste as a Determinant of Temporary Labour Migration 7.4 Discussion and Conclusion References Chapter 8: Attraction and Detraction: Migration Drivers in Bhutan 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Literature on Migration Drivers 8.2.1 Internal Migration in Asia 8.2.2 Internal Migration in Bhutan 8.3 Discussion on Migration Drivers 8.3.1 Attracting Forces 8.3.2 Educational Opportunities 8.3.3 Employment Opportunities 8.3.4 Detracting Forces 8.3.5 Lack of Market Access 8.3.6 Food Insecurity 8.3.7 Lack of Access to Water 8.3.8 Agricultural/Wild Interface 8.3.9 Other Considerations 8.4 Impact of COVID-19 to the Study Area 8.5 Conclusions References Part II: Family, Health and Demographics Chapter 9: An Analysis of the Impact of International Remittances on Child Education: Evidence from Pakistan 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Migration and Remittances in Pakistan 9.3 Data and Estimation 9.4 Estimated Results and Findings 9.5 Conclusion References Chapter 10: Female Migration and Stay-Behind Children in Bangladesh 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Methodology 10.3 Female Migrants: Socio-demographic Profiles 10.4 Wages and Remittances of Female Migrants 10.5 Caregiving to Unaccompanied Children 10.6 Educational Attainment of Unaccompanied Children 10.7 Healthcare of Unaccompanied Children 10.8 Psychosocial Impact on Unaccompanied Children 10.9 Conclusion References Part III: Forced Migration Chapter 11: A Threat or an Opportunity? Internal Migration in the Context of Climate Extremes in Pakistan 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Migration and Climate Change Relationship – Literature Review 11.3 Data Collection 11.4 Study Areas 11.5 Results and Discussion 11.5.1 Climate Extremes Events – Who Migrates and Why 11.5.2 Climate-Induced Displacement and Migration Typologies 11.5.3 Climate-Induced Migration Outcomes – Threat or Opportunity? 11.6 Conclusion References Chapter 12: Local Expert Perceptions of Creeping Environmental Changes and Responses in Maldives 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Methodology 12.3 Results 12.3.1 Environmental Changes 12.4 Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies 12.5 Climate Migration? 12.6 Discussion 12.7 Conclusion References Chapter 13: From Muhājir to Āwāra: Figures of Migration and Exile Among Afghans 13.1 Afghan Refugees: Decades of Displacement 13.2 Evolving Terminology: The Figure of the āwāra 13.3 Who Is Comfortable with the Term muhājir? 13.4 Āwāragi and the Experience of Iran 13.5 She Proceeds 13.6 Why Not muhājir, mosāfer, panāhenda? 13.7 Going West 13.8 A Non-parochial Sense of Belonging 13.9 Āwāragi, Towards Cosmopolitanism from Bellow? References Chapter 14: Health Beyond Borders: Migration and Precarity in South Asia 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Migration in South Asia 14.3 Migrants’ Health and Its Determination 14.3.1 Migrants’ Work and Health 14.3.2 Social Inequalities and Health 14.3.3 ‘Migrant’ Identity, Transience and Health 14.4 Discussion References Chapter 15: Migration, Development Within the SAARC Framework: Towards a Migration Governance Model of the Future 15.1 History of South Asia: A History of Mobility 15.2 Refugees, Forced Migration and Undocumented Migration in South Asia 15.3 Challenges to Free Movement in South Asia 15.4 Opportunities and Challenges to Free Movement: the EU, ECOWAS and Mercosur 15.5 A Way Forward Through SAARC References