2.B - corridors of migrant flows create interdependence between countries (Brazil)

Question 1

what is interdependence?

Answer 1

the idea that 2 places impact on each other and are mutually reliant on each other (could be politically, socially or economically)

Question 2

Portugal <–> Brazil flow

Answer 2

• growing real estate market in Brazil = industry booming. more secure professional market
• 2008 financial crisis (in Spain). Brazil economy ↑ by 7.5%, Spain reached 1%
• 30-40% ↑ in companies investing in Brazil
• commercial and investment opportunities
• illegal residence in search of Brazilian dream /better lifestyle (push and pull factors)

Brazil -> Portugal
- poor school quality
- 10,000s illegal migrants to Portugal. more opportunities in Portugal
- poverty and unemployment –> opportunities for employment greater in Portuga;

Question 3

Japan <–> Brazil flow

Answer 3

• long term historical migration. shows interdependence
• historic link from 1900s (over 100 yrs)
• Japanese pop in brazil ↑, temporary settlements becoming permanent. they have assimilated into the culture = Brazilianisation of Japanese culture + vica versa (interdependence)
• 188,000 Japanese to Brazil
• people return to Japan. post war japanese economy improved. sending money back to Brazil

Question 4

Haiti -> Brazil flow

Answer 4

Haiti = poorest country in Western Hemisphere
- following 2010 earthquake
- overcrowded temporary shelters host 1500 migrants awaiting official documentation in North Brazil (Brasilea)
- 25,000 migrants, 10 mil funding the shelter
- poor conditions, no medical help. oversubscribed
- scarce govt resources in border regions
- lots of people in short amount of time
- some signs of improvement -> work visa’s take 1-2 days instead of 1 month
- corrupt middle men try to take advantage of language barriers. Injustice of migrant workers being exploited (not same as people from portugal)
- Haitian migrants suggest benefits outweigh challenges

Question 5

what are the current patterns of migration to Brazil?

Answer 5

• influx of migrants from Haiti
• increased popularity as a destination for European migrants
• migration from MERCOSUR
• emigration from Brazil to Japan and other ACs
• net loss of population

Question 6

suggest pros and cons of “desire line” data presentation

Answer 6

• not always clear
• doesn’t show detail
• arrows show direction of movement

Question 7

how has migration impacted positively on the economic development of Brazil?

Answer 7

• recent arrivals of highly skilled professionals with employment contracts have contributed to entrepreneurship, innovation and reducing gaps in labour markets
• these workers improve the skills base in Brazil and contribute to Brazil being an attractive destination.
• “Asunción Agreement” has contributed to Brazil being an attractive destination
• textile industry is managed by migrants from South Korea who have undocumented Bolivian, Peruvian and Columbian workers. they accept poor labour conditions and low wages because of their vulnerable situation = economic growth for Brazil
• between 2010 and 2014, Brazil’s economic growth drew large numbers of migrants to the country.

Question 8

where are sources of highly skilled workers for Brazil?

Answer 8

• europe
• Chile
• argentina
• visa restrictions in other countries e.g. USA makes Brazil a more popular destination

Question 9

what is the “Asunción Agreement”?

Answer 9

• “Asunción Agreement” has contributed to Brazil being an attractive destination
• in 1981 the agreement created a common market in the continent’s southern cone of countries collectively known as MERCOSUR.
• the agreement doesn’t include migration provisions but has increased population movement among the party countries

Question 10

how have MERCOSUR boosted trade?

Answer 10

• free trade agreements have been made between MERCOSUR and European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
• this boosts trade between regions meaning Brazil will have a high income European market for exports

Question 11

how has migration impacted negatively on the economic development of Brazil?

Answer 11

• textile industry is managed by migrants from South Korea who have undocumented Bolivian, Peruvian and Columbian workers. they accept poor labour conditions and low wages because of their vulnerable situation = economic growth for Brazil but bad for migrants
• between 2010 and 2014, Brazil’s economic growth drew large numbers of migrants to the country. yet recent economic stagnation has slowed this trend- just 94,000 foreigners arrived in 2016, down from 122,000 in 2014, a 23% decrease

Question 12

how has migration impacted positively on the political stability of Brazil?

Answer 12

• long standing inter-connections between Brazil and Japan originate from colonial times when Portugese explorers landed in Japan and founded the city of Nagasaki
• this historic link has helped foster bi-lateral trade agreements and trade relations are expanding
• over 450 Japanese companies operate out of Brazil and Brazil ranks 10th for FDI into Japan
• the bi-lateral movement of people and business has helped strengthen political relations and cooperation between the 2 countries
• in may 2017, following a year of political turmoil, the National Congress unanimously approved a new migration law designed to replace the 1980 statute of the Foreigner which treated immigrants as threats to National security. it established rules against discrimination and gave immigrants the right to unionize and participate in political demonstrations.

Question 13

how is political stability fostered?

Answer 13

• through cooperation w/ neighbours and interconnections between citizens of different countries

Question 14

how stable is Brazil politically?

Answer 14

• has a stable and democratic political system
• it also is a leading member of MERCOSUR and an important member of G20
• there are stable political relationships between Brazil and the countries with which it has significant bi-lateral flows of migrants, esp. w/ USA, Japan and Portugal

Question 15

where does the Brazil-Japan link originate from?

Answer 15

• long standing inter-connections between Brazil and Japan originate from colonial times when Portugese explorers landed in Japan and founded the city of Nagasaki
• when Japan suffered from severe rural poverty in early 1900s it resulted in the migration of nearly 200,000 Japanese to Brazil, largely to work on coffee plantations
• this historic link has helped foster bi-lateral trade agreements and trade relations are expanding
• over 450 Japanese companies operate out of Brazil and Brazil ranks 10th for FDI into Japan
• the bi-lateral movement of people and business has helped strengthen political relations and cooperation between the 2 countries

Question 16

what happened in Brazil in May 2017?

Answer 16

• in may 2017, following a year of political turmoil, the National Congress unanimously approved a new migration law designed to replace the 1980 statute of the Foreigner which treated immigrants as threats to National security.
• it established rules against discrimination and gave immigrants the right to unionize and participate in political demonstrations.

Question 17

how has migration impacted positively on the social equality of Brazil?

Answer 17

• the arrival of European workers promotes cultural diversity within Brazil

Question 18

how has migration impacted negatively on the social equality of Brazil?

Answer 18

• according to UNESCO, there are inequalities in Brazilian society between different ethnic groups.
• inequalities exist in housing provision, access to services, educational attainment and income, Brazilians of African descent are most affected
• inequalities have a spatial perspective, w/ poverty concentrated in rural areas or in the favelas to which the poor migrate
• there is prejudice and discrimination in the labour market, especially against black and indigenous populations, and this impedes their full economic, political and social development
• in the NW of the country where, for example, the Haitian migrants are concentrated, large numbers of migrants can be a source of social inequality

Question 19

how do illegal migrants enter Brazil?

Answer 19

• with over 14,500km of land borders, the majority of which are not well-secured, it is relatively easy for low skilled Latin Americans to illegally enter Brazil, and find work in agriculture and factories.
• they enter through so-called “dry-borders”, which are the western and northern Brazilian borders with other countries.
• in the NW of the country where, for example, the Haitian migrants are concentrated, large numbers of migrants can be a source of social inequality

Question 20

how is there interdependence between Brazil and Portugal?

Answer 20

• Brazil and portugal have long standing bi-lateral relationship on a political, social and economic basis
• brazil was a former colony of Portugal and today the Portugese govt still gives special status to Brazilian migrants
• for economic migrants, Portugal has become a gateway for entry to the EU.
• the shared language, ancestry and family ties contribute to the ease with which migrants in both countries can be integrated
• reciprocal migration is supported by the well-developed social diaspora networks in both countries
• meanwhile migrant remittances are an important economic factor for many families

Question 21

how are Brazil and Portugal linked socially?

Answer 21

• brazil was a former colony of Portugal and today the Portugese govt still gives special status to Brazilian migrants
• the shared language, ancestry and family ties contribute to the ease with which migrants in both countries can be integrated
• reciprocal migration is supported by the well developed social diaspora networks in both countries

Question 22

how are Brazil and Portugal linked politically?

Answer 22

brazil was a former colony of Portugal and today the Portugese govt still gives special status to Brazilian migrants

Question 23

how are Brazil and Portugal linked economically?

Answer 23

• for economic migrants, Portugal has become a gateway for entry to the EU.
• meanwhile migrant remittances are an important economic factor for many families

Question 24

how is there interdependence between Brazil and Haiti?

Answer 24

• Brazil has developed political, economic and humanitarian relationship w/ Haiti
• the national immigration council for Brazil enables Haitian immigrants to obtain visas relatively easily in Haiti, and reducing their vulnerability to trafficking networks
• great benefit to Haitians who have found it difficult to recover from the devastating earthquake of 2010 which displaced 1.5 mill, and the effects of Hurricane Sandy in 2012
• the number of immigrants grew from 1681 in 2010 to 11,072 in 2013 and this continues to rise as Hatians attempt to escape the political instability, unemployment, poverty, poor access to education and the country’s appalling human rights record, especially gender based violence
• many intend to join friends and relatives in the south east of Brazil where low skilled jobs are available in agriculture and the factories of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina

Question 25

how are Brazil and Haiti linked socially?

Answer 25

• the national immigration council for Brazil enables Haitian immigrants to obtain visas relatively easily in Brazil, and thereby reducing their vulnerability to trafficking networks
• great benefit to Haitians who have found it difficult to recover from the devastating earthquake of 2010 which displaced 1.5 mill, and the effects of Hurricane Sandy in 2012
• the number of immigrants grew from 1681 in 2010 to 11,000 in 2013 and this continues to rise as Hatians attempt to escape the political instability, unemployment, poverty, poor access to education and the country’s appalling human rights record, especially gender based violence

Question 26

how are Brazil and Haiti linked politically?

Answer 26

• the national immigration council for Brazil enables Haitian immigrants to obtain visas relatively easily in Haiti, and thereby reducing their vulnerability to trafficking networks
• the number of immigrants grew from 1681 in 2010 to 11,072 in 2013 and this continues to rise as Hatians attempt to escape the political instability, unemployment, poverty, poor access to education and the country’s appalling human rights record, especially gender based violence

Question 27

how are Brazil and Haiti linked economically?

Answer 27

• many intend to join friends and relatives in the south east of Brazil where low skilled jobs are available in agriculture and the factories of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina

Question 28

how is there interdependence between Brazil and USA?

Answer 28

• the links between the US and Brazil are important in political, socio-economic and environmental terms
• the many thousands of low-skilled economic migrants working in the USA are able to remit significant monies, while returning migrants having aquired skills and knowledge, are able to contribute to Brazilian development
• highly skilled Brazilians are increasingly finding opportunities to work in the USA especially in the service sector
• there are strong links in education and teacher training
• the USA has negotiated agreement with Brazil regarding agriculture, trade, finance, education and defence
• in addition USAID gives support to Brazil in many environmental projects. these range from practical help such as training Xavante indigenous people to protect their tribal lands from forest fires, to assisting the Brazilian government in designing and implementing laws concerning forest governance and sustainable forest management.

Question 29

how are Brazil and USA linked economically?

Answer 29

• the many thousands of low-skilled economic migrants working in the USA are able to remit significant monies, while returning migrants having aquired skills and knowledge, are able to contribute to Brazilian development
• highly skilled Brazilians are increasingly finding opportunities to work in the USA especially in the service sector
• there are strong links in education and teacher training
• the USA has negotiated agreement with Brazil regarding agriculture, trade, finance, education and defence

Question 30

how are Brazil and USA linked socially?

Answer 30

• there are strong links in education and teacher training

Question 31

how are Brazil and USA linked environmentally (/politically)?

Answer 31

• USAID gives support to Brazil in many environmental projects.
• these range from practical help such as training Xavante indigenous people to protect their tribal lands from forest fires, to assisting the Brazilian government in designing and implementing laws concerning forest governance and sustainable forest management.