1. Community Capitals and Migration Cornelia Butler Flora Distinguished Professor of Sociology Emeritus Iowa State University Research Professor, Kansas State University cflora@iastate.edu

2. Community Capitals and Immigration Cornelia Butler Flora Distinguished Professor of Sociology Emeritus Iowa State University Research Professor, Kansas State University cflora@iastate.edu

3. Capital Resources invested to create new resources over a long time horizon

4. Politica l Capital Cultural Capital Natural Capital Human Capital Financial Capital Social Capital Built Capita l Economic Security Social Inclusion Healthy Ecosystem

5. Components of migration: Push factors –Social Capital (disintegration of the social fabric and violence) War and insurgence Criminal gangs Individual vendettas –Financial capital Not able to make an adequate living Fear of loosing assets –Cultural capital Part of a cultural minority –Political capital Fear of oppression, imprisonment or punishment –Human capital Health problems Desire for education –Natural capital Flooding Drought Clean water not available for humans, animals or crops –Built capital Dwelling, other material possessions destroyed or appropriated

6. Components of migration: Pull factors Social capital –Networks of kin, co-religionists, or community members in place Financial capital –Employment opportunities –Investment opportunities Cultural capital –Shared values with the receiving community –Belief that the destination is “the land of opportunity” Political capital –Freedom from oppression –Seeking asylum Human capital –Educational opportunities Natural capital –Climate more benign –Similarities to home Built capital –ICT –Access to collective infrastructure

7. Major differences between US and EU Legal status of immigrants (political capital) Proximity to sites of social dislocation (natural capital) Histories of colonialism (different foci of imperialism)

8. Air Water Soils Biodiversity Landscape Natural capital provides the possibilities & limits of human action. Natural Capital

9. Climate Change and Land Grabs Can Force Migration

10. Cultural Capital Symbols Cosmovisión Ways of knowing Language Ways of being Ways of doing Cultural capital is how we see the world, what we value & what can be changed. Cultural hegemony devalues cultural capital of the poor & their knowledge of how to manage natural resources

11. Circular Migration Seasonal Non-Seasonal low-wage labor Professionals, academics and transnational entrepreneurs

12. Circular migration motivated by Receiving country’s desire not to pay the costs of reproduction of the labor force Immigrants desire to retain ties with home

13. Circular migration supported by Bilateral agreements, mostly signed after 1991 –Matching program characteristics to specific labor market needs –Selecting the right workers for the jobs –Offering repeated labor market access –Focus on skill upgrading –Tailoring family unification policies to fit the aims and duration of migration –Making benefits and pensions portable –Build state capacity at the origin

14. Legalists, Pluralists, Pragmatists We hear people talking now about “rule of law”, but the rule of law does not mean that we slavishly follow laws that make no sense. If we did that, women would not be voting, and Jim Crow laws and Prohibition would still be in effect. In fact, the Bible has something to say about this kind of laws: “Woe to the legislators of infamous laws, to those who issue tyrannical decrees, who refuse justice to the unfortunate and cheat the poor among my people of their rights, who make widows their prey, and rob the orphan.” Isaiah 10: 1-2

15. Social Capital mutual trust reciprocity groups collective identity sense of shared future working together The interactions among individuals that occur with a degree of frequency and comfort. Bonding social capital consists of interactions within specific groups and bridging social capital consists of interactions among social groups. Trust and Group Power: “In Unity there is Strength”

16. Social capital Importance of family and village networks for migration to Iowa (job or business related) Little trust and interaction with other Latino business people Few are members of Chambers of Commerce and relations are often unsatisfactory Owner-managers seek help from accountants, lawyers, and bankers (bridging) Latino businesses serve primarily Latino clientele

17. Political Capital Organization Controversy accepted Connections Voice Power Civic engagement Political capital is the ability of a group to influence standards, regulations and enforcement of those regulations that determine the distribution of resources and the ways they are used.

18. Political Capital Voice and Power People share a vision for a prosperous community and are organized and work together All know and feel comfortable around powerful people as well as those often excluded Access to resources for all is part of the political agenda Democracy thrives

19. Key Policies Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 Johnson-Reed Immigration Act, 1924 –Included the National Origins Act Asian Exclusion Act National Origins Quota Consular control system (visa) Fair Labor Standards Act, 1938 applied to farm workers 1984 Bracero program, 1942-64

20. Key Policies (continued) Operation Wetback, 1954 Immigration and Nationality Act, 1965 restricted Mexican immigration but encouraged family reunification Agricultural Labor Relations Act (1975) permitted farm worker union representation Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) 1986 SAW and RAW secured a workforce for agriculture North American Free Trade Agreement 1994

21. Positive immigration reform-in the U.S. and Iowa Challenges for the Obama Administration: –Overcoming political paralysis to reform US immigration policy –Implementing a new immigration plan that includes new technology and policy –Socially, civically, and economically integrating immigrants and their children who are already in the United States

22. THE INTEGRATION OF IMMIGRANTS: The Policy Context for Localities Local efforts may be compounded by the large number of recent arrivals and local governance structure No uniform set of policies and programs to aid in the social, economic, and political incorporation of immigrants Local action, i.e., day labor, language policies, occupancy policies, local police enforcement offer fragmented response Immigrant integration operates at the local level

23. Financial Capital savings debt capital investment capital tax revenue tax credits grants Forms of currency used to increase capacity of the unit that accesses it. Financial capital is often privileged because it is easy to measure, and there is a tendency to put other capitals into financial capital terms.

24. Appropriately diverse and healthy economies reduced poverty increased firm efficiency increased firm diversity increased assets of local people.

25. Financial capital Often previous experience in business in Mexico or other parts of the U.S. Capital from business or home ownership in previous location used to purchase business in Iowa. Capital from savings obtained by working in packing plants (21% of income going to house payments in Dalton) Family capital is most frequent source of capital for businesses; rarely is bank credit used. Bring capital from outside – both urban U.S. and Mexico If they get a bank loan, bank recommends insurance agency and accountant.

26. Share of top 1% incomes in total post-tax income

27. BUILT CAPITAL Physical infrastructure that enhances other community capitals because –It serves multiple users –It can be locally maintained and improved –It links local people together equitably –It links local people, institutions and businesses to outside ideas and resources

28. Political Capital Cultural Capital Natural Capital Human Capital Financial Capital Social Capital Built Capital Social Inclusion Economic Security Healthy Ecosystem