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Transient Mobility and Middle Class Identity pp 149–184Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Connections and Disconnections: Forming Parallel Societies in Transience

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Abstract

In this chapter Gomes delivers a captivating description of the at the social spaces transient migrants in Australia and Singapore occupy and puts forward the argument that they live in parallel societies which are exclusively made up of fellow transient migrants. This chapter suggests that these parallel societies allow respondents to create a sense of belonging in the host nation yet not to the host nation due to disconnections with local society and culture and with their home country societies as well. It points out that transient migrants are drawn to each other because of common experiences and form communities of need. Gomes also points out that ethnic similarities to the host nations’ citizenry do not allow for connections with them to be made. Instead they see Australian and Singaporean co-ethnics as different from them. This chapter ends with a section on the implications of the research on policy and practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. RMIT University, Melbourn, Australia

    Catherine Gomes

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  1. Catherine Gomes
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Gomes, C. (2017). Connections and Disconnections: Forming Parallel Societies in Transience. In: Transient Mobility and Middle Class Identity. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1639-4_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1639-4_6

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-1638-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-1639-4

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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