Reflective Writing II

Migration & Cultural Diversity and Human Rights

This paper has taught me a lot about culture and society, in a context of greater scope that I thought I had already known and existed to be true. By engaging through this particular assignment of group work, and reflecting on past assignments, I believe that concepts associated with the study of sociology has enabled me to critically think about the society and culture we live in today insightfully. Migration and cultural diversity and human rights are concepts that have pin pointed these very notions.


Through the group presentation I obtained the knowledge that migration and cultural diversity are detrimental factors in gaging a full understanding of the broad concepts of culture and society. More importantly, the issues articulated by migration and cultural diversity has evolved in understanding these concepts. Ryan (2010) states that culture becomes visible when we travel to other countries or to other cultures. After this group project, I have a greater understanding of migration and cultural diversity and the impact it has on migrants being in a new environment. For example, we discussed the ‘culture shock’ that immigrants endure that ranges from family dynamics and the typical migrant employment experience. Dow, H.D. (2011) presented the idea that immigrants feel a sense of culture shock through a number of ways that impacts their engagement in the culture and society of their new environment. Thus, increasing the struggle of adaptation and the struggle of immigrants to inhabit social competence. In my understanding, migration fits in to this notion that different social backgrounds evolves a person to be who they are and has created the diversity that exists within our multicultural society.

Learning how to adjust to different societal norms and cultures is difficult when immigrants experience a complicated procedure such as migration. To learn the internal culture of others, and to make integration more effective, actively participating in this culture will aid in uncovering the values and beliefs that underlie the behaviour of this society (Hall, 1976). However, we learnt that this proves to be very difficult for migrants.


Migration and cultural diversity is important to me in the aspect that it reinforces my personal values and beliefs based on fair equality for all people from different and diverse backgrounds based on my personal Christian beliefs. As a first generation born New Zealander my immediate and wider family are immigrants. The concept is relatively close to me in this context that I identify myself with immigration one way or another; perhaps not as a direct immigrant, but my origin homeland is somewhere else and this is very much part of my identity and who I am. To reflect on the experiences that immigrants face I believe, theoretically speaking, if I was a recipient of the treatment immigrants generally receive I feel like this would impact my ability to be competent in a society that perpetuates an inclusive society and hardship. By doing this assignment, I learnt that people hold different perceptions on migrants and the way they ought to be treated. Personally, as a member of society this is of a nature that a reasonable citizen should not be expected to bear without exemptions of discrimination based on race, social status and economic differences.


Upon beginning this paper, I thought that I knew everything about human rights, and aware of the negligence of such a vital concept in almost every country somewhere, somehow. However, human rights is much more extensive than I had anticipated looking at the full article and applying it as a concept to our assignments, especially to the photo board assignment. The vast ways that other students applied their view on a human rights perspective today was interesting, and suggested that we all shared a commonality of thought and behaviour in terms of what we see as a breach of a human right, and what we know and recognise (Ryan, 2010). For instance, growing up in New Zealand some of us may recognise that oppressing women is wrong and stand strongly against it; we believe to acknowledge this as a ‘wrong’ due to the culture we are exposed to. However, in other parts of the world women rights are not greatly emphasised due to their own culture, and may not be recognised as an issue.


This concept is fundamental in a greater understanding of migration and cultural diversity. Immigrants are continually suppressed to conditions of economic hardship and social discrimination, even within New Zealand. These acts violate Article 22 and 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations, n.d.), as they have every right to be a member of society and enjoy the economic advantages that host countries ultimately can provide for immigrants in search of a better life and living conditions.  Through the engagement of this paper, I have obtained a greater and insightful understanding of human rights in the aspect that its negligence is a common factor in societies globally, despite its development.


The theme of migration and cultural diversity and human rights can be approached by disciplines in similar but different ways; through the social sciences disciplines an approach of migration and cultural diversity is through a sociological and analytical point of view. Anderson, Taylor & Logio (2015) state that sociology looks at the way of thinking about society and its influence on human groups. For example, personal experiences of immigrants, domestically and internationally, was pinpointed and the impacts it has on themselves and society holistically. In the same way, human rights can serve as a social structure in the sense that it is ought to shape human behaviour and the way in which we treat others. Retrospectively during the symposium the discipline of Hospitality approached the concept in terms of the influence that migration and cultural diversity has on specific social perspectives; examining how much social interaction implements through everyday courses of work, through food and beverage.


For myself as a law student this paper was incredibly insightful. It has provided me with appropriate and relevant knowledge on conceptual themes that I can apply throughout my law degree and also my life in general. I appreciate people more in the sense that society and culture do mean more than just learning about people, race and cultural interaction but focusses on a variety of aspects that fully grasp the knowledge of how and why society is shaped the way it is. I enjoyed sharing my perspective with others in this paper, and more importantly seeing how they are similar yet different to others. From the photo board to the last reflective assignment, my knowledge and appreciation for social awareness has flourished.


Word count: 1183


References

Anderson, M. L., Taylor, H. F., & Logio, K. A. (2015). Sociology the essentials. United States: Cengage Learning.

Dow, H. D. (2011). An overview of stressors faced by immigrants and refugees: A guide for mental health practitioners. Home Health Care Management & Practice, 23(3), 210-217. doi:10.1177/1084822310390878

Ryan, M. (2010). Preface. In Cultural studies: A practical introduction. Hoboken: Wiley, pp.viii-xii.

United Nations. (n.d.). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved June 11th, 2015, from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml#a1

Reflective Writing 1

The decision to find the most relevant photographs to fit the concepts was more or less difficult; for ‘personal culture’, I struggled the most. Even though it may be ‘obvious’ to others, whether I indirectly or bluntly express my cultural background I believe it is not as simple as that. Culture are shared aims of thought and behavior, but that of which is socially acceptable (Ryan, 2010). The photo depicts the nature of shared thoughts and behaviors; the human race is a culture in itself within the idea that it substantially provides people with a sense of bigger responsibilities and belonging. The idea that I am a global citizen and part of a developing world culture (Israel, 2012). Since sharing this photo, I have been influenced greatly in by this concept. Personal culture can be interpreted in various forms and expressions, having learnt through others that the concept itself is infinite in its understanding.

Lawler (2008) explains that we have multiple identities; no one has only one aspect of identity to which they have to identify themselves with. The photo I used portrays this notion that there are many features of my being that expresses who I am; not singular, but a variety. It is manifestation of my everyday life and experience. For me, the most significant learning resulted from seeing others share this very same idea that their identities were made up of many elements, and not just a simple definition but of complexity.

Personally, I feel very strongly about human rights and its common negligence; particularly, with women. Under Article One of the United Declaration of Human Rights, we are all born free and equal and we should all be treated the same way (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights., n.d.). Growing up in New Zealand, women are entitled this right without a doubt. However, the experience and life of another women comes down to her race and the social values to which she has little to no say in. It is hard to accept that this is reality for women; people like me. Sharing this common perspective with other women was empowering and enriching; this particular concept was the one in which I was influenced by the most as it reinforced my understanding that this is an issue on a global context but also within New Zealand.

Helen Clark is an influential women in history in relation to an aspect of today’s society that women should not engage in politics has been challenged by women like herself. Women doing what is deemed as a ‘man’s job’ with such great power extends the capabilities and ability that women possess; it also stands as a reflection that social dynamics have changed considerably over time. My perspective of this historical influence was challenged as I shared this particular photo; I questioned whether I was creating a superficial idea of an historical influence in the sense of the degree of historical influence. However, I feel passionately about women influence in today's society and the degree to which we all showcase our ability to become powerhouses.

References

[Untitled photograph of globe and human]. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2015, from http://info.umkc.edu/womenc/2010/12/01/body-image-across-cultures/

[Untitled photograph of tree mosaic]. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2015, from  http://galleryhip.com/simple-tree-mosaic.html

International women’s day. [Photograph]. (2013). Retrieved March 27, 2015, from http:// http://nissa.ger-nis.com/category/location-of-the-month/

Israel, R. (2012). What does it mean to be a Global Citizen? KOSMOS: Global Citizens Creating the New Civilisation, 79. Retrieved from http://kosmosjournal.org

Lawler, S. (2008). Identity: Sociological perspectives. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Ryan, M. (2010). Cultural Studies: A Practical Introduction. United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (n.d.). Retrieved from United Nations Web site: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

UNDP. (2013). UNDP Administrator Helen Clark addresses the press during her visit at the Shanghai expo in October 2010. [Photograph]. Retrieved March 27, 2015, from http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/articles/2013/04/12/helen-clark-statement-on-reappointment-as-undp-administrator.html