Anthropology

FASA invites you to join us for our first colloquium of the semester this Friday! Hope to see you all there!

 Date: January 27, 2017

Location: Turlington 1208     

Time: 2pm

Speaker: Dr. Simeon Magliveras

Assistant Professor of Anthropology at King Fadh University of Petroleum and Minerals

Talk Title and Description:

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW’s): Transnationals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This talk will focus on Filipinos in Saudi Arabia. There are many unique aspects of Saudi Arabia. In contrast with the United States and Europe immigration to KSA cannot be permanent. Once any foreign worker finishes his work in KSA he/she is obligated to leave shortly after his/her work is done. In addition, foreign workers are sponsored under the Kafala laws which limits the workers rights. This talk will examine the unique situation of Saudi and how Filipinos deal with their obligations in KSA and their obligation to home. Transnational migrants are thrusted from one socio-cultural system into another. Filipino nationals must navigate personal and family needs, their emotions, and their identity resulting from the act of migration. This talk explores the reasons why Filipino people immigrate and how they deal with the needs of the family left in their home country, the obligations they have in there new country of residence and if there is any gain in social capital.  I will conclude that though the obligations seem to be overwhelming, the majority of people I talked to had bettered their families’ situations and at the same time their status was elevated. However, most OFW’s still were very ambivalent about their sojourn.