Links between the Philippines and Spain: migration and bilateral relations

This paper analyses the implications which Spanish policy regarding foreign workers has on the living and working conditions of the Filipino community in Spain. The author pays special attention to bilateral relations between the Philippines and Spain in issues suchas Spanish investment in the Philippines, the trade balance between the two countries and labour relations. In conclusion the article considers the necessity of reaching a bilateral labour agreement which would be beneficial to both countries and which at the same time would improve the working conditions and the integration of Philippine nationals living in Spain

Meeting the needs of Australian Muslim families: exploring marginalisation, family issues and 'best practice' in service provision

The paper presents the results of a research project aiming to enhance understanding of the needs of marginalised Muslim families and to develop \u27best practice\u27 in addressing these needs. This research project was funded under the National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security (NAP), a whole-of-government program coordinated by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). The project\u27s aims were achieved by addressing the following research questions: a. What are the main issues relating to marginalisation that concern Muslim families in Australia? What is the nature of marginalisation that they experience? b. What are the enablers that promote resilience within Muslim families and their positive engagement in Australian society, and help them avoid marginalisation? c. What are the factors that negatively influence intra-family relations and hinder their full and active participation in Australian society? d. How do marginalised families cope and deal with marginalisation (formal or informal support mechanisms)? What works and what are the gaps in these mechanisms, especially in government and non-government services? e. What are the elements of best practice to meet the needs of marginalised Muslim families? The project tried to give equal emphasis to understanding the problem (of ‘marginalisation’ and intra-family relational issues, and factors causing these) and to finding the enablers and ‘solutions’. The research focused on Muslim families from diverse ethnic backgrounds (Lebanese and other Middle Eastern backgrounds, Turkish, Indonesian, Indian, Pakistani, Sudanese, Anglo-Celtic, etc.). The project also recognised other dimensions of diversity of the Muslim population such as age, gender, geographical location, multicultural density of place of residence, urban/metropolitan versus rural/regional, refugee status, and so on. Written by Rogelia Pe-Pua, Sandra Gendera, Ilan Katz and Alison O’Connor

English as Social Capital among Immigrants and Refugees in Australian Communities

Learning the dominant language in a new country can be a key factor in successful settlement and adaptation for immigrants and refugees. This is in part because it is a form of social capital, particularly in bridging and linking to people from other linguistic communities and enabling access to resources such as employment, housing and healthcare. In this paper we examine the role of English-language proficiency in immigrants’ and refugees’ sense of belonging, inclusion and participation in the broader Australian community. The data, from 54 interviews and focus groups with 138 people conducted in communities in Perth, Sydney and Murray Bridge, are drawn from a larger study using Jenson’s multidimensional framework of social cohesion. We found that perceived and genuine difficulties in communicating in English impacted on participation and the capacity to develop meaningful relationships with others in the community, and was associated with reduced opportunities and access to resources for immigrant and refugee groups. We discuss the findings in relation to linguistic social capital and its role in access and equity in multicultural Australia

Psychological Adaptation and Autonomy Among Adolescents in Australia: A Comparison of Anglo-Celtic and Three Asian Groups

A questionnaire was administered to 426 adolescents to investigate ethnic group differences on eight variables. It was hypothesized that Asian (Chinese, Filipino and Vietnamese) adolescents would score higher on parental authority values, school adjustment and psychological symptoms; and lower on gender relationship/children's rights values, sense of mastery, self-esteem, life satisfaction and behavior problems than Anglo-Australians. Females were hypothesized to report higher scores on psychological symptoms but lower scores on behavior problems and sense of mastery. The results showed all three Asian groups scoring higher on parental authority values. Chinese-Australians reported higher school adjustment scores than Anglo-Australians. The three Asian groups scored significantly lower on gender relationship/children's rights values and behavior problems. But only the Vietnamese-Australians scored lower on life satisfaction; and only the Chinese-Australians reported a lower sense of mastery than Anglo-Australians. There was no group difference on self-esteem. Generation status did not exert an influence on values; but there was an interaction effect with ethnicity) with regards to self-esteem, life satisfaction and school adjustment. The implications in relation to cultural and migration-related factors and cultural values were discussed

Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino psychology): A legacy of

Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino psychology) refers to the psychology born out of the experience, thought and orientation of the Filipinos, based on the full use of Filipino culture and language. The approach is one of ''indigenization from within'' whereby the theoretical framework and methodology emerge from the experiences of the people from the indigenous culture. It is based on assessing historical and socio-cultural realities, understanding the local language, unraveling Filipino characteristics, and explaining them through the eyes of the native Filipino. Among the outcomes are: a body of knowledge including indigenous concepts, development of indigenous research methods and indigenous personality testing, new directions in teaching psychology, and an active participation in organisations among Filipino psychologists and social scientists, both in the Philippines and overseas