Cavoti's Black Box, Migratory Policy-Political Theory: Xenophobia in-group, out-group and the Other

Today we are going to work  the concept of Xenophobia  and the "Other", no to start off from where I left off at the previus post Wendt (1994) also explains there are other factors that condition and established interests for any State/Actor. So now I’m going to explain to you what concepts this author wields to describe why an actor can take unilateral action, which one could described as selfish act of the State. Unilateral acts plague the world of immigration; it’s a problem due to the fact that many times the States react this way, never really solving the problem, affecting its relations with other states, (proactive measures never happen). These are the three concepts, Wendt points out to explain why a State acts this way; the first one he borrows a concept from Jonathan Mercer (1993) In-groups and Out-groups; the second one is the dependence of States their domestic population’s opinion and; Finally, nationalism. Currently in the case of Argentina (that we’ve have been using as an example on all of my posts), the immigrants do not get in trouble in any of these three concepts, therefore, the State and its population  do not  perceives them as a problem, in general.

Something one must  keep in mind is the distorted image of the other that comes from over exaggerated conjunction of the three concepts seen above  all sandwiched  together,  have a very important impact genesis of xenophobia,  xenophobia,  exophobia and endophobia (Marmora; 2004). Discrimination and some level of intolerance have always existed in Argentina and there can be a low level of xenophobia towards certain groups of foreigners who are ethnically different, like the Aymara (ethnic group from Bolivia), Africans in general and Chinese. But this discrimination does not reach by far levels that exist in Europe or in the United States of North America. But if the Government does not take a greater role in to integrating these immigrants, especially migrants from Bolivia, that make up one of the most important migration flows to the country and it’s one of the most vulnerable. Without integration there could be a progressive increase in discrimination and xenophobia from the local population against that particular community. Xenophobia, even though it shows the excessive prejudice of the local population, it seeks to protect the group, from the other is seen as  invaders, the one that alters the ontological order. But the widespread xenophobia produces a harmful effect for the State to a point that a my be possible that it can isolate itself because of the rejection and international outcry from affected States from where the migrants comes from, which feel that their citizens are not respected or worse persecuted. In the case of Argentina, the countries where the migrants mostly come from are from its neighbors, and they are at the same time Argentinas trading partners. If Argentina starts blocking migrants from these countries in retaliation block trade from this country, and take measures on their nationals that live in these countries.

Now we are going to concentrate on the concept of the Other, and to do that  we most  refer ourselves back to  in-groups and out-groups , is where the cultural 'other' is created or spawned. For example in Argentinean society (where I live) this “other” in principle, does not represent a threat, but in the US people like Donald Trump  with his fear mongering build multiple Others that are hellbent in destroying their soceity from the inside, it a crude political tool but sadly it works . Now back to Argentina we have a fairly open society ( note I also think the US a pretty open too) where most migrants are allowed to joining the in-group; Argentine society has particularity to allow certain integration of immigrants and at the same time it allows them to maintain a certain level of their identity from their mother land, this creates sub identities that can be seen on a national level. Argentina has basically the same basic identity of the melting pot like the US, it just differs in some aspects, especially historical, slavery that lade the beadrock to deep rooted and structural racism leading to social conflict, in our case racism is limited.  Social conflict here in Argentina is fueled by class and economic sectors, argentines are elitists poverty make us uncomfortable (be it immigrant or local), it does not equate with our national myth that we are a prosperous   European country in South America.

 Second aspect explained by Wendt, is the question of public opinion, this is a point which is very clear, the majority the immigrants that arrive here and do the legal paper work to become residents. Therefor they become part of the economic system paying taxes, therefore they have the right to use the public services if need necessary. Because it’s so simple to become  a resident for migrants from MERCOSUR, Argentina disarticulates a potential social conflict, this I’ll explain later in future post. But despite of this in Argentina a myth persist in certain right wing sectors, that there is a disproportionate mass of migrants who prey on the resources of the State, but as we have seen they have the right and there use of public services is not parasitic in nature, its like they do not have the right to these people, I have had heated discussions with Argentine expats living in the States on this issue that cut and past their the right wing views on the subject projecting  what they perceive  happing in the US here, talking about a bolivian invassion and the dangers behind this, and its just not true, they come here to work and they do stuff the Argentines are not willing to do occupaying  3D type jobs ( note check out My blog on 3D migrants). But this perception is just a political tool used by certain economic/political sectors. It should not be forgotten that migrants that become residents can vote in certain elections this benefits some and harms others, on an electoral level. To some extent migrants can participate in the country's internal political process, but also may be victims and/or hostages, or may be three conditions simultaneously.



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