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Lifestyle Migration and Colonial Traces in Malaysia and Panama pp 229–258Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

The Pursuit of Well-Being and a Healthy Way of Life

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Part of the book series: Migration, Diasporas and Citizenship ((MDC))

Abstract

This chapter considers how lifestyle migration to these destinations is framed around the opportunity to live and lead healthier lives. In this way, it teases out the significance of health and well-being to imaginings of a better way of life, and in everyday migrant lives. What we make clear is that considerations about where to migrate is for some additionally framed around their understandings and/or knowledge of healthcare provision and the cost of domestic labour within the destinations, and the capitals and resources that they can draw on to make the best of what is available. As we demonstrate, this is paired with the development and promotion of high-quality healthcare services in Malaysia and Panama, a further dimension of their economic development strategies, and evidence of outcomes of this practice of migration. But these neoliberal solutions come at a cost that not everyone can afford.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See http://www.medicaltourism.com.my/en/malaysia-your-healthcare.aspx (Malaysia) and http://www.thailandmedtourism.com/Home/28 (Thailand).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK

    Michaela Benson

  2. Department of Social Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK

    Karen O’Reilly

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  1. Michaela Benson
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  2. Karen O’Reilly
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Benson, M., O’Reilly, K. (2018). The Pursuit of Well-Being and a Healthy Way of Life. In: Lifestyle Migration and Colonial Traces in Malaysia and Panama. Migration, Diasporas and Citizenship. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-51158-4_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-51158-4_8

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-51157-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-51158-4

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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