thesis presentation april 25

8/6/2019 Thesis Presentation April 25

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The Global City and TransnationalThe Global City and TransnationalMigrationMigration


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Research Question It is almost impossible to study the process of

globalization without studying global cities.

The goal of my research is to expand the study

of global cities by including transnational

migration in global cities research. Thus, how

does transnational migration contribute to theformulation of global cities?


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Hypothesis and measurements

Transnational migration is the driving force

of global cities.

1. Economic integration (major financial

centre; headquarters for TNCs; rapid

growth of business services sector)

2. Total Labor force(Skilled and Unskilled)

3. Number of foreign labor


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DefinitionDefinition

SaskiaSaskia SassenSassen (2001)(2001)ss The Global CityThe Global City identifiedidentifiedthem in four ways:them in four ways:

1.1. key locations for finance and specialized servicekey locations for finance and specialized service

firms, which have replaced manufacturing as thefirms, which have replaced manufacturing as theleading economic services;leading economic services;

2.2. sites of production, including the production ofsites of production, including the production of

innovations, in leading industries;innovations, in leading industries;


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DefinitionDefinition

3.3. highly concentrated command points in thehighly concentrated command points in theorganization of the world economy;organization of the world economy;

4.4. markets for the products and innovationsmarkets for the products and innovationsproduced.produced.


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Three Major Aspects ofGlobal CitiesThree Major Aspects ofGlobal Cities

A.A. Command CentersCommand Centers

controlcontrol, command and management centers, command and management centers --

regulate global manufacturing production,regulate global manufacturing production,

financial transactions, producer services andfinancial transactions, producer services andtelecommunications networks.telecommunications networks.


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B. Points of destination for migrants.

Migrants contribute to growth in these cities.

These cities attempt to curb low-skilled

immigration and promote high-demand(skilled or professional) immigration through

legislation and special programs.


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C.C. Social polarizationSocial polarization

Services sector produces a larger share ofServices sector produces a larger share oflowlow--wage jobs.wage jobs.

the paradoxical relationshipthe paradoxical relationship-- between thebetween thegrowth of finance and producer services andgrowth of finance and producer services andthe increase of an informal economy in thesethe increase of an informal economy in these

cities.cities. disproportionate flows of skilled internationaldisproportionate flows of skilled international

migrantsmigrants


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Definition

Transnationalism Theoryposits that

contemporary migrants maintain connection

to their countries.

Social networks and remittances are

considered the backbone of

transnationalism.


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Transnational Migrants in global citiesTransnational Migrants in global cities

Various economic sectors prevalent inVarious economic sectors prevalent inglobal cities necessitate both highglobal cities necessitate both high--skill andskill and

lowlow--skill labor.skill labor.

In the increasingly complex productionIn the increasingly complex production

systems, the links and transactions in goodssystems, the links and transactions in goodsdrive demand for labor particularity indrive demand for labor particularity inglobal cities.global cities.


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Case StudyS

ingapore

From its separation fromMalaysia in 1965 until thepresent time, the Singapore government has strived

to mould the city-state as an important globalplayer.

The globalization of talent is of particular concern

for the Singapore government because inflows offoreigners to Singapore is treated as a keydeterminant of the countrys competitiveness.


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Singapore In 2005, about 18.3 percent (596,108) of the

resident population base were born outside

Singapore.

Mainly inMalaysia (306,998); China,

Hong Kong, and Taiwan (163,503); South

Asia (61,308); Indonesia (32,785); andother Asian countries (15,137).


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Singapore

The increasing share of thenonresident/noncitizen population is a directconsequence of Singapore's policies to attractand rely on "foreign manpower" at both thehigh and low ends of the spectrum toovercome the limits of local resources.

Indeed, foreigners constituted approximately

29 percent of Singapore's total labor force in2005, the highest proportion of foreignworkers in Asia.


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Singapore

The nation-state continues to matter.

Peter Taylor (1995), asserts that cities are replacingstates in the construction of social identities. Hence,

alongside the erosion of national economy we canglimpse the erosion of nation-state.

However, the evidence from the study of global city-regions is highly ambiguous on this point. Althoughinternational forces clearly do shape the economic

possibilities open to any region, national policymediates the impact of those forces in ways that stronglyaffect the life chances of urban residents.


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thesis presentation april 25

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