Week 8 Alaina Cagalingan

In the article “Construction of Transnationalism,” author Scott Wong discusses the complexity and evolution of transnationalism within the foreplay of globalization, capitalism and immigration.   He has touched on essays that reminded us that diasporic beginnings in the communities have dated back since trades had been established.  The travel of goods essentially became the gateway of immigrant and labor exportation within different nation-states and thus producing transnationalistic identities.  In fact, according to Stuart Hall, “cultural identities [of those in transit and those who settle in distant lands] undergo constant transformation…”  (p.49) These peoples’ identities are constantly being shaped by their experiences at work and their societal interactions (mostly foreign exploitation and domestication)–all due to the conformation of global market. In the Philippines, it is disappointing that advertisements of working abroad is being promoted by the government themselves thus producing a high number of people who are more than willing to work abroad and becoming an addition to the transnationalistic population.  Globalization has resulted to women leaving their families to work abroad for support are essentially only linked to their children through internet phone or video calls.  This can shape their evolving cultural identities of themselves and their children.  Children of foreign workers are left alone in their homeland and has an aperture image of their distant parents, possibly changing their behavior and customs, which is just one example of how transnationalism is evolved by globalization.  My question is: Since globalization is considered heavily as an issue in many economic and political discussions, what possibly can be an alternative route for different economies so they can flourish without using the strategies in line with globalization?

Photo url:  http://globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2012/09/syria-ofw.jpg

Reference:  K. Scott Wong.  "Diasporas, Displacements, and the construction of Transnational Identities." Displacements and Diasporas