The remittances of migrant Tongan and Samoan nurses from Australia

BACKGROUND: Migration and remittances are of considerable importance in the small Pacific island states. There has been a significant migration of skilled health workers in recent decades to metropolitan fringe states, including Australia and New Zealand. This paper reports the findings of a re-analysis of survey of Samoan and Tongan migrants in Australia where the sample is split between nurse households and others. METHODS: The study analyzes the survey data with a view to comparing the remittance behaviour and determinants of remittances for nurses and other migrant households, using both descriptive, cross-tabulations and appropriate econometric methods. RESULTS: It is found that a significantly higher proportion of nurse households sent remittances home, and, on average remitted more. Remittances of nurse households did not decline significantly over time contrary to what has generally been predicted. This was in contrast to other migrant households in the sample, for whom remittances showed a sharp decline after 15 years absence. Remittances contribute much more to the income of migrant sending countries, than the cost of the additional human capital in nurse training. CONCLUSIONS: Given the shortage of nurses in Australia and New Zealand, and therefore the high demand for immigrant nurses, investment by Pacific island governments and families in nurse training constitutes a rational use of economic resources. Policies encouraging investment in home countries may be more effective than policies directly discouraging brain drain in contributing to national development

Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review

In a meta-analysis, Julianne Holt-Lunstad and colleagues find that individuals' social relationships have as much influence on mortality risk as other well-established risk factors for mortality, such as smoking

Social capital, ethnicity and children's well-being: aspects of social capital in the everyday lives of British Punjabi children

This paper discusses the relationship between minority ethnicity, well-being and children's social capital in the light of data from a qualitative study on social capital among 32 British Punjabi primary school children. Through a broad overview of social capital literature on ethnic minorities and children's welfare, the case is made for placing children's well-being in a contextual framework that acknowledges the variety and wealth of children's everyday experiences. Looking at the children's social networks and future aspirations, the discussion will draw out ways in which social capital processes interact with other aspects of children's identity, including ethnicity and gender, from a child-centred perspective. Finally, some exploratory ideas are offered as to how bonding processes may affect children's psychological well-being, and how they may be viewed through the concept of ‘emotional capital’

South Asian Immigration to United States: A Brief History Within the Context of Race, Politics, and Identity

In this chapter we focus on key themes that impact South Asian diasporic communities in general. First, we briefly chart the South Asian immigrant journeys to the U.S. from the late 1800s through the watershed mid-century immigration policies to contemporary times. Second, we examine the contradictions between the model minority discourses that are sustained within the South Asian diaspora and the racism and discrimination experienced by South Asian immigrants particularly in the context of post 9/11 America. Finally, we conclude by looking at some of the ways in which first, second, and subsequent generations in the South Asian diaspora have creatively and politically engaged with their identity