The oppressions that different classes and ethnic groups face are linked to a greater institutional issue. “Overly long working hours exploits the time of Hong Kong adults to cook, to shop, to take care of their children and elderlies” (Constable, 2005). Many workers are thrown into the labour force in order to earn an income to support their families, in which they sacrifice the time to spend with each other (the basic family reunion) and the the to take care of the family. “Comparing with the importation of labour, the cost of offering free childcare and services for the elderly is much higher. It would have been the responsibility of the government, but the importation of foreign domestic helpers help the government to escape from the obligation in a certain extent. The government lays the responsibility of nursing and caring problems back to the families themselves and regards these out of its responsibility. This is seen as a solution that is similar to neo-liberalism.
In this paper, it is going to analyse how the ethnic minorities contend against the institutionalised racism they face in daily life, by using the movement where the Philippine domestic migrant workers fight for their rights and justice as an example. What’s more, it also investigates the relationship between liberalism and polyethnic rights by stating and reviewing Will Kymlicka’s Liberal Multiculturalism.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Institutionalised Racism and Migrant Workers
3. Liberalism and Multiculturalism: Theoretical Framework
4. The Case of Philippine Migrant Workers in Central
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores the intersection of institutional racism and liberalism, specifically focusing on how Philippine domestic migrant workers in Hong Kong contest marginalization by reclaiming public spaces. It examines the tension between individual rights-based liberalism and the necessity of polyethnic or group-differentiated rights to protect marginalized minorities.
- Institutionalized racism and the daily experiences of migrant workers.
- Critique of orthodox liberalism through the lens of Will Kymlicka’s theories.
- The symbolic and practical significance of occupying public spaces in Central, Hong Kong.
- The role of cultural identity in sustaining individual liberty and community belonging.
- The necessity of group-differentiated rights to achieve true ethnic equality.
Excerpt from the Book
The Case of Philippine Migrant Workers in Central
Migrant workers began to gather in Central during the eighties in the 20th century. Central is one of the three major financial centres in the world that concurrently gathers up flagship stores of global luxury brands. Interestingly, it can be seen that a large number of migrant workers gathering every Sunday in parks and squares, such as Charter Garden, Statue Square and the platform of HSBC. These migrant workers also occupy the public spaces of Edinburgh Place (including City Hall, Star Ferry, Queen’s Pier and Central Post Office), namely the outer corridor, elevated pavements and underground pavements. The public spaces in Central on Sundays are successfully regained by the Filipino migrant workers and is names as “Little Manila” or “City of the Philippines” (Pierson, 2011). In the day of forced vocation - Sunday - migrant workers refuse to stay at home, as staying away from home is their only way to be asked to do unpaid chores. At first, they scattered all over the commercial shopping malls in Hong Kong. In virtue of their low purchasing power, these migrant workers are not welcome in most malls. Ever since the early 1980s, the migrant workers are gradually attracted to aggregate in Central, because the financial centres in Central stop operating on weekends and are deserted like a dead city. St. John’s Cathedral in Central began to offer Tagalog masses in the consideration of the increase of Philippines migrant workers. Its outreach organisation, the Philippine Migrant Workers Pastoral Centre, also provide these Philippine migrant workers social services. Today, it is estimated that about 2-30,000 Philippine migrant workers go to work or reunion every Sunday.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the institutional issues facing migrant workers in Hong Kong and sets the scope for analyzing their resistance against systemic racism.
2. Institutionalised Racism and Migrant Workers: The chapter details specific cases of abuse, such as the Erwiana Sulistyaningsih incident, to illustrate the harsh reality of systemic exploitation and the lack of government support for foreign domestic helpers.
3. Liberalism and Multiculturalism: Theoretical Framework: This section reviews Will Kymlicka’s work to argue that traditional liberalism fails to account for collective cultural rights, suggesting instead that group-differentiated rights are essential for equity.
4. The Case of Philippine Migrant Workers in Central: This chapter analyzes the historical and social significance of migrant workers reclaiming public spaces in Hong Kong’s financial district as a form of protest against marginalization.
5. Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes the discussion, proposing that prioritizing human relationships over fixed community identities might offer a new path forward beyond the limitations of current liberal and multicultural debates.
Keywords
Social Justice, Minority Rights, Liberalism, Multiculturalism, Will Kymlicka, Migrant Workers, Hong Kong, Institutionalized Racism, Public Space, Occupy Movement, Cultural Identity, Human Rights, Political Equality, Group-differentiated Rights, Ethnic Minorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this essay?
The essay examines how ethnic minorities, particularly Philippine domestic migrant workers in Hong Kong, contend with institutionalized racism and fight for their rights through the occupation of public spaces.
What are the core thematic fields?
The core themes include social justice, the political theory of liberal multiculturalism, the relationship between individual liberty and cultural identity, and the practical struggle for racial equality.
What is the central research inquiry?
The work investigates whether liberal theory can adequately protect minority rights and if the concept of group-differentiated rights is compatible with the fundamental principles of liberal equality.
What methodology is applied?
The author employs a theoretical review of Will Kymlicka’s Liberal Multiculturalism combined with a socio-political analysis of the "occupying movement" of migrant workers in Central, Hong Kong.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the theoretical shortcomings of traditional liberalism regarding cultural diversity, the systemic exploitation of migrant workers, and the symbolic importance of reclaiming public urban spaces.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Social Justice, Multiculturalism, Liberalism, Migrant Workers, Hong Kong, and Institutionalized Racism.
How does the author interpret the term "societal culture"?
In later works cited by the author, "societal culture" is defined as a culture that provides its members with a meaningful way of life across all spheres, supported by common institutions and a shared language.
What is the significance of the "Little Manila" phenomenon?
It represents a symbolic reclamation of power where migrant workers transform a financial, elite space into an autonomous multicultural area, challenging their status as marginalized subjects.
Why does the author advocate for group-differentiated rights?
The author argues that without such rights (e.g., veto power or language rights), minority cultures remain politically and economically vulnerable to the decisions of the majority, leading to significant inequality.
- Citation du texte
- Andrea Fung (Auteur), 2016, Social Justice. Minority Rights. Regain of public spaces and civil movement from the Philippines, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/374751
