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Migration, Education and Marginality: Networks and Strategies in the Pacific Islands

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Nature, Tourism and Ethnicity as Drivers of (De)Marginalization

Part of the book series: Perspectives on Geographical Marginality ((PGEO,volume 3))

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Abstract

The Pacific Islands region covers a vast area of the globe yet it is often regarded as being marginalized in the global economy due to the small size, relative isolation and apparently limited resources of Pacific economies. This chapter examines processes of ‘de-marginalization’ that are being pursued by Pacific Island states and kinship networks. These relate to connections that are forged and strengthened with metropolitan economies that allow Pacific people to move, gain education and work elsewhere. In this we see the critical role of diasporic kinship networks operating often separate from and around the margins of state systems.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Although data are patchy and variable, the World Bank estimates that for 2012, remittances accounted for 22% of Samoa’s GDP, 25% of Tonga’s and 5% of Fiji’s, though only 0.1% of Papua New Guinea’s GDP. The world average for remittances is about 0.7% of GDP (see http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.TRF.PWKR.DT.GD.ZS, accessed 3 March 2017).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Victoria University of Wellington, SGEES, Kelburn Parade, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand

    John Overton & Warwick E. Murray

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  1. John Overton
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  2. Warwick E. Murray
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Correspondence to John Overton .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Primorska , Koper, Koper, Slovenia

    Stanko Pelc

  2. Faculty of Humanities, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia

    Miha Koderman

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Overton, J., Murray, W.E. (2018). Migration, Education and Marginality: Networks and Strategies in the Pacific Islands. In: Pelc, S., Koderman, M. (eds) Nature, Tourism and Ethnicity as Drivers of (De)Marginalization. Perspectives on Geographical Marginality, vol 3. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59002-8_15

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