Author Archives: japansociology

Fair Skin and Indian Marriage

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by Nurussakinah Mahmud

The thing with marriage in Asia (mostly) is that you don’t just marry the groom or bride. When you marry someone, indirectly you are marrying the whole family too. And this is proven very solidly in Indian culture as most marriages are arranged by the parents. Every criteria for the bride must be filled satisfyingly for a marriage to occur, and with how badly obsessed the Indian society perceived fair skin as a criteria of beauty it was no wonder that most parents seek fair-skinned bride for their son.

While other cultures doubtlessly also have the affinity for searching for fair-skinned brides, in my opinion, they are not really that straight forward about it. In Malay society for example, I don’t think anyone will blatantly say to your face that they do not want to marry you because you are dark-skinned or your chance of getting married will be less than other people.

But the Indian society is kind of the opposite. They are openly stating it, in the matrimonial sites’ profiles and newspaper advertisements, even to the girl’s face, that they want a fair skin girl. In fact, as I searched through the matrimonial sites, they even have tags for skin preference which is quite shocking I must say. And while the author in the book (Jyotsna Vaid) mentions three types of skin colour the Indian usually been associated with, gora or gori (fair or light skin), saanwala (wheatish brown) and kala or kali (dark), the skin preference section only have fair, very fair and wheatish tags. Even though as we know, most people in the southern part of India generally have a much darker skin, so few of people actually admitted of having the dark skin while the rest self identify themselves as fair or at least wheatish.

Colorism is having quite a strong grasp on Indian society. Even among those who live in overseas for a very long time, the stigma that having fair skin is better than being darker is still running deep in the heart of the immigrants from India. In fact, now that they are living in overseas and their daughter may be the second or third generation there, most parents who wrote the profile for the matrimonial sites on behalf of their daughter now included ‘very fair’ to emphasize how very much lighter their daughter’s skin is, in comparison to the fair skin girl in India.

Just what is it that makes the skin colour such an obsession in Indian society? Some argue that it was implemented on their mind since the British reigned in India for more than a century. During this period of oppression, white people signified the superiority and richness as compared to the local, whom were at that time, were only servants or slaves. The mentality continues on to the modern days with the effects of globalization and media, of how beauty is always being described as having fairer skin through the commercialization and marketing of skin lightening products, as well as the influence of Bollywood idols.

As the stigma and prejudice continue, the girls with darken skin colour find themselves having a lot of problems regarding self-esteem and to always be blamed for something they could not possibly alter – the DNA or genetics that make up for their darker skin. Adding the practice of paying dowry to the groom into the equation, the discrimination is heightened as dark skin girls are subjected to a higher dowry price than lighter skin girls as compensation.

Although India is one of the fast developing countries, the blatant discrimination and social injustice especially toward women is still so worrying. As quoted by a Harvard professor in regard to colorism in India: “the sadness here, I guess, is that these are not subtle biases, they are expressed overtly to deny people access to opportunity and resources.”

Resources:

Fair and Ugly – Indian Americans and Skin Colour Politics. Retrieved from http://newamericamedia.org/2010/03/fair-and-ugly—indian-americans-and-skin-color-politics.php

All’s Fair in Love and Cream. http://www.michelepolak.com/200fall11/Weekly_Schedule_files/Sheyde_1.pdf

Fair Skin and Marriage in India

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by Cherry Zhou

In marriage advertisements, there are numerous ways to describe yourself or your desired partner. Detailed information can be divided in to non-physical factors and physical ones. This chapter (“Fair Enough? Color and the Commodification of Self in Indian Matrimonials,” by Jyotsna Vaid) shows that skin color matters in Indian matrimonial over time. Although there is no single origin of the conscious of fair skin being beautiful, one possible explanation is that British colonization led to a preference of lighter skin and the introduction of Western notions of beauty. In India, fair skin was and probably still is considered as an indicator of belonging to a higher caste, social standing and hierarchy in society. People are likely to link fair skin tone with wealth and education, whereas those with dark skin may be perceived as low-income workers.

Through the reading, I also found that there exists a gendered pattern of mentioning skin tone in marriage ads. Women mentioned fair skin more than twice as often as men. Figure 9.5 shows that the the percentage of mentioning fair by women increased a lot overtime.

It may also be possible that Indian women are more sensitive to messages about social norms than men; they fully understand that to highlight fair skin in marriage ads is advantageous for themselves. On the other hand, however, men are less conscious about the importance of their physical appearance, skin color in particular. Men face far less pressure than women to have fair skin. Darker skin tone in men may be compensated by assets such as having a well-paid job, overall economic security and a good personality, whereas women are likely to be evaluated and judged only on their physical appearance

But there may be a change in this idea since more and more cosmetic companies like fair&lovely are staring to sell products targeting male customers. With more and more male celebrities endorsing skin products, male’s consciousness about fair skin may change in the future.

What this chapter didn’t mention much is that whether fair skin really improves marriage prospects, especially for women. So I did some research about this question.

The author is right about the fact that a large percentage of marriage in India is arranged marriage, even nowadays. Since the socially constructed idea is that fair skin is ideal beauty so it certainly can influence a person’s chance of finding suitable partner. For women, marriage is considered to be extremely important for lifelong economic security within Indian cultures. Sahay and Piran (1997) suggested that: ‘In many Indian languages, the words fair and beautiful are often used synonymously, and there is often a preference for a female with light complexion in marriage, if other considerations are equal’ (p. 162).

Moreover, this chapter argued that there basically is no resistance or critique of the emphasis on fairness as a marker of beauty even over periods of time. So through the diaspora, future generations of immigrated Indian people still remain to have their traditional ideals about skin tone. Overall speaking, what I found shocking is that there’s so much emphasis on looks in India, especially about being fair. In Indian culture, fair skin was perceived to increase one’s likelihood of an arranged marriage, and this suggests that some aspects of physical appearance are more important than others factors.

Reference:

Sahay,S., & Piran, N. (1997). Skin-Color Preferences and Body Satisfaction Among South Asian-Canadian and European-Canadian Female University Students. Journal of Social Psychology,137, 161-171.

Undocumented Immigrants

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by Yokoyama Yuu

The U.S. receives a lot of immigrants and there are many undocumented immigrants – about twelve million people. Today, undocumented immigrants also come in Japan. Each immigrant has the reason they cannot return their home country. For example, there are some children who do not know that they are undocumented till they try to get their driver license or university application. Although they love their country as well as other citizens, they always have the fear that they will be arrested and deported from their home country. On the other hand, there are some people who suggest it. Today, Japan also tends to deport undocumented immigrants – about a half million foreign people are taken in prison as illegal residence every year and Japan forces to deport them. It is cruel that undocumented immigrants are forced to be arrested and deported although they are innocent, isn’t it?

However, there are also problems for allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in. First, some immigrants who can get the status of residence desperately feel it is not equal that illegal ones can live without such effort. Second, some people are worried about that the job for citizens will decrease because illegal immigration works very low salary. For example, in U.S. about 5% of labor population depends on illegal immigration. Many undocumented immigration works in agricultural business. Third, if the country allows undocumented immigrants to stay without limit, it will be difficult to count the population of immigrants and the investigation of crime foreigners will become hard. This makes society worse.

In human view point, some people think government should not deport illegal people because some American has immigrant friends. Obama suggested new policy which allows illegal immigrant to stay in U.S. for two years. Thus, U.S. progress the direction to protect of immigration rights. However, we have to also consider if we receive many immigrants, how the society of the country will become.

I think Japan should give more chance for undocumented immigrants like the U.S. For example, Japan allows undocumented immigrants to work and if they can work well and success, gives states of residence forever having some conditions such as renewal of states once a year. Japan can let illegal immigration for the business which Japanese people do not want to such as agribusiness, caring for old people and train immigrants so that they can learn professional technique and work in the Japanese companies of foreign local place. It will increase the profit of Japan. They enter the country to earn money to live, so Illegal immigration has the motivation to work. In this way, immigrant may give Japan benefits. It will lead the “Dream Act” of Japan.

Undocumented immigrants in the United States

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by Naoko Yamada

In 2012 Barack Obama announced that some young illegal immigrants be allowed temporary status and work permits, that is, it will stop deportations and begin granting work permits for some Dream Act-eligible students. According to article of DHS, “undocumented immigrants who came to the United States under the age of 16 and have lived in the country for at least five years can apply for the relief, so long as they are under the age of 30.”

In 2012, an estimated 11.9 million undocumented immigrants resided in the United States without legal procedure. Moreover more than 70% of them are from Middle and South America, especially from Mexico, and they are called “Hispanic”. In Los Angeles where a lot of undocumented immigrants the number of immigrants is rising steadily.  The greater part of inhabitants is opposed to Obama’s policy however actually immigrant’s labor force is very important part to support American society.

The United States is a country of immigrants, and it is true that undocumented immigrants support society and economic. For example the greater part of labors is undocumented immigrants from Mexico. Because of this policy, many immigrants with hope will go to United States.

For young immigrants, it would be quite good announcement because they  are suffered from problems that they don’t have legal status. Also immigrant’s children are innocent, and they had no choice to refuse to move to U.S. I think if government strengthen control of immigrant who are living in U.S., American society would damage. So I think U.S. should accept immigrants who are living now in U.S. and adopt policy for immigrants like Obama’s policy. And then government should strengthen the enforcement of laws against new immigrants.

Refugees Tomorrow

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by Satomi Toba

Through the classes, I’ve learned that the difficulties which undocumented people experienced in their ‘home’ country. As we watched in a documentary film, those people cannot be supplied driving license, national health insurance. In Japan, there is another big burden: more than anything else, those people are not allowed to work while the application for refugee status term. It means that they cannot earn money for their living cost. Then, how can they live under the harsh situation? After I think about this, I come up with two ideas. In this report, I’ll try to write down my opinions over the big, important issue.

I know that those undocumented people, refugees have stayed a country illegally, usually without formal extended visa. Thus, they originally break the law. At the same time, they were exiled their native country because of some political problems and they couldn’t get formal documents regarding their refugee status from the government. It is also applied to their passport. If they get their own passport through ‘black’ route, to stop an inflow of refugees seems to be mostly impossible. It is out of a country’s responsibility. Then, what is a responsibility that the host country has to take? I think it is to take care about the refugees healthy. We must not overlook that they are human beings as we are. They have a right to live like we do. That is why I think the health insurance should be enjoyed by all people.

The second point is not regarding government, but that there are some nonprofit organizations which help refugees in Japan. For example, there is an organization, called Japan Association for Refugees (JAR). That organization holds lectures about refugees in Japan for university students and supports them by making a network in refugee’s neighborhood. Relationships with other people have big meanings for refugees, because most of them don’t have any relatives in the host country and in an emergency case, they cannot ask help to the others. To reinforce the connection, we, the receiving country’s people will be better to learn more about refugees. As I knew little about them before I joined this class, there will be a lot of people who don’t know well or don’t have interests in them. I think this big issue won’t be solved until the society is changed by supports from as much as many people.

Reference

Japan Association for Refugees: http://www.refugee.or.jp/

Undocumented Immigrants

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by Tomoka Otani

As we studied about the undocumented immigrants, I learned that there are various kinds of undocumented immigrants in the world. Firstly, undocumented immigrants in Japan and the current situation of illegal entrance to Japan will be described. Secondly, undocumented immigrants in the United States and the current situation of the country will be described as well. Thirdly, solutions for illegal entrance and the conclusion will be written. This essay focuses on undocumented immigrants who were brought to other countries when they were children

The number of undocumented immigrants in Japan is increasing and in 2008, there were over 20 thousand illegal immigrants. There are many illegal immigrants whose visa had expired and overstaying in Japan, however, in recent years, the number of immigrants who entered the country with fake passports are increasing. As we learned about the case of “Noriko” whose parents were from the Philippines and used fake passports to get in the country in order to have better lives in Japan, we need to rethink how difficult it is for undocumented children to deal with the problem.

There are over a million people who are entering in the United States illegally per year and its 80 % are from Mexico. As I lived in Southern California for a year, I know some undocumented people who are from Mexico. One of my classmates was child when she came to America and she did not have any idea that she was undocumented until she applied for a driver’s license. I did not have much knowledge about illegal immigrants at that time; however, I realized that this is one of the most serious problems in the United States. I could not do anything for her and it was depressing for both of us. When I studied about undocumented children in the class, I instantly thought of her. I learned that there are many undocumented children like her in the United States and they are dealing with the problems that were caused not by their choice.

In order to reduce the number of illegal immigrants, as for Japan, since it is not connected with any other countries by land, I think it is important to strengthen passport check at the airport because most of undocumented people who intentionally enter Japan illegally have fake passports. I do not know how it is difficult to make fake passports or to recognize them; however, I think it is the fastest and easiest ways to eliminate illegal entrance to Japan.

As for the United States, I think it is more difficult to decrease the number of undocumented immigrants because it is next to other countries like Mexico and Canada. People could just walk or drive illegally into the United States. In order to decrease the number of illegal immigrants who enter the nation from neighbor countries, the government should double the guards of border crossing. I think this is the only solution to eliminate illegal entrance to the U.S.

The biggest problem of all is that how should the government treat the undocumented people who entered the country when they were children and brought to another country by their parents choice. I personally think that the governments should give some kind of legal status to the children because they did not have any idea when they were brought to the other countries. Some people might say that this system increase the number of undocumented immigrants in order to provide their children with legal status, however, I do not think there are better solution for undocumented children. I think they have the right to live equally and right to receive the opportunities in order to enjoy their lives.

The Issues of Undocumented Immigrants

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by Kohei Nomura

Almost automatically, I am engaged in Japan’s social welfare and security system. In addition, I guess that almost all people including you are the same. I could not imagine how we should survive if these kinds of rights had gone. However, in this world, there are the undocumented people in term of legal status. They do not have the right to receive any administrative service. It remains as the taboo but big problem of societies.

When people illegally cross the border, or overstay after their visa’s expiration, the immigrants become undocumented. Because they are staying illegally, they cannot even get their legal status. In other words, even if they are violated or treated terrible way ignoring human rights, they cannot claim to police. In this case, the social structure that undocumented immigrants are never treated as ordinary people tends to stuck in the countries’ low-level society. Moreover, even if they catch diseases, they cannot get a tax deduction. It is easily assumed that undocumented immigrants cannot earn enough money to pay full medical expenses, so that they probably cannot go to the hospital. Undocumented immigrants are afraid of the detection of the fact they are illegal immigrants; therefore, the terrible structure among undocumented immigrants would be hidden and be taboo. Nevertheless, the realities of the undocumented immigrants are quite severe.

The only way to recover the administrative service for the undocumented immigrants is to go back to their mother countries. (Actually there are some ways to get a legal status in the escaped country, but the opportunities are extremely limited.) Conservatives may say that these severe treatments are undocumented immigrants’ fault because they are illegally there. It is partly true, and they should go back to their mother countries if possible. However, the children of illegal immigrants cannot do so, because the children are grown up with the countries’ identity and education of the countries’ language. If the country commit deportation of the children, it is wrong as the humanistic perspectives. The children have never committed the crime like illegal immigration, unlike their parents.

In conclusion, politically, the special decision how the country engages the undocumented immigrants in the area of humanity to get rid of violation of human rights of undocumented immigrants. Moreover, we should rethink of how we should accept the immigrants.

The “DREAM Act” is still dream…

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by Misa Takahashi

In November 7, the U.S president Obama was reelected. His reelection can realize ideal of ‘illegal’ and ‘undocumented’ immigrants, or keep on harsh reality to them… I would like to talk about them aspect of ‘dream act’ in U.S.

Before talking about ‘illegal’ and ‘undocumented’ immigrants, I mention about what ‘dream act’ is. The goal of this project is giving relief to children of ‘illegal’ and ‘undocumented’ immigrants. If the law could be approved, they can have the right of permanent residence. The U.S. president Obama has worked hard for approve the law because of the background that immigrants are necessary for U.S. economy, however the Republican Party opposed to it because of increasing the expense of social security and the number of illegal immigrants. “Dream act” is still dream…

Almost of those children was taken by their parents who use illegal passports to U.S. in babyhood. Their parents are illegal immigrants, of course they are also ‘illegal’. Naturally enough, they don’t receive college education, get driver license, and more worse, they are suffering the fear of forced repatriation. But, they don’t know about their born countries and those cultures. They only know U.S., only have U.S. identities.

From such situation, Obama carried out the president command, give the reside license to them. If they satisfy requirement which is they are under 30 years old, enter illegally to U.S. until 16, pass 5 years from illegal entry, have the license of high school graduation or enroll and don’t have experience of crime, they can stay 2 years, get driver license and jobs. However, this command is temporary things, so it can’t become fundamental solution.

Considering for receiving immigrants in aspect of good point, immigrants support U.S. economy, in fact, most of all big farm workers is Hispanic immigrants. But ins aspect of bad point, increasing the number of illegal immigrants create to increase the expense of social security and expand the poor class. I think that we have to cut the roots ‘illegal immigrant’ to solve the problem and only help children who is difficult to be educated and got jobs in now. However, it is difficult to cut roots of illegal immigrant, if we do it, we must change the worldwide immigrant’s situation and problem. I think that this problem shouldn’t be left as it is, but there is no epoch-making solution.

Reference

NHK online. http://www.nhk.or.jp/worldwave/marugoto/2012/08/0817.html

The issue of undocumented immigrants

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by Yui Matsushita

It is a big issue of the world that the number of undocumented immigrants is increasing today. In the election for the U.S. President in November 2012, immigration was one of points at issue. It is said that there are about twelve million undocumented immigrants in the U.S., and most of them have to suffer from many hardships because they don’t have legal status. The way that they become undocumented can be roughly divided into two kinds; illegal entry by a fake passport or crossing a border, and visa overstay which immigrants enter a country by the proper procedures but lose residence status and still stay there. In Japan, the number of the latter case (especially immigration from Asian countries) is decreasing in recent years, but still, it is a problem.

Especially, children of those undocumented immigrants have to go through afflictions more. At least their parents or relatives are conscious of having committed a crime, but children do not intend to do so at all. They immigrate into a new country with their parents, settle down there, get educated and spend their life as a normal resident. They grow up in a new country’s culture, so they adapt its customs and language and foster their identity as one of members of the society where they live now. However, they are still undocumented immigrants. It becomes very hard for them to get higher education, get driver’s license, go to the hospital and leave the country in a proper way. They always have to be scared of being arrested and deported because of a crime which they do not know about. It is unreasonable to deport them from the viewpoint of human rights because this situation divests them of their present life and their future. In the U.S., President Obama started a new policy in 2012 which allows young undocumented immigrants to get resident status. It was executed according to failure of the DREAM Act which allowed them conditional permanent residency. However, it can be only temporary treatment.

Of course the problem is that those immigrants do not have legal status, however, the focus also should be placed on the cause that they became undocumented immigrants. They immigrate for various purposes such as getting a job and escaping from inferior living environment, so if no measure is taken for this matter, the number of undocumented immigrants will do nothing but increase. While taking measures for them domestically, the fundamental cause has to be examined internationally. In addition, society should not stick to only the fact of ‘illegality’. By focusing on their backgrounds as well, it needs to consider the issue of undocumented immigrants.

Undocumented Immigrants

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by Sakiko Maruyama

There are a lot of undocumented immigrants in the world.  While some commit illegal entry deliberately, others aren’t conscious of their undocumented status until they need their ID.  We still don’t have a formal way to differentiate them.  Indeed, especially in the latter case, the boundary of documented and undocumented people sometimes seems to be ambiguous. Undocumented immigrants who belong to the latter situation undoubtedly think of themselves as citizen, until they know they are undocumented immigrants. Even if they notice the fact, they think they are citizen, because they fulfill citizen’s obligation such as going school, working, or paying taxes. But now, there are few measures to protect them.  A nation functions rather exclusive toward the undocumented immigrants and people easily connect undocumented immigrants with crime. We need to differentiate the innocent undocumented immigrants from the others.

Then, it becomes necessary to establish the standards for judging it. The US is proud of itself as a land of immigrants. The society of the US is supported by immigrants. It is important for the US to unify immigrants in order to strengthen the bonds of the nation. There are approximately 11.5 million undocumented immigrants in the US, so they are no longer the minority. The US takes the most positive attitude to this matter in the world. The US prepares the DREAM Act; it would provide undocumented youth with permanent residency or citizenship. This bill is based on the thinking that the undocumented children are innocent because they were took to the US by their families without proper documentation. It hasn’t yet been passed by the Congress, but I agree with this bill. The bill would make it possible to make a border between undocumented immigrants. It means that those children would be separated with their families, so this bill may be harsh to the families whose children are adapted to this bill. But needless to say, the US can’t accept all the undocumented immigrants and then, it seems to be a good standard so far.

Other countries except the US don’t positively deal with the matter of undocumented immigrants. It may take a long time for Japanese government that it comes up in the argument. I hope the DREAM Act will be passed by the Congress as soon as possible, and it affects other countries including Japan.