Mobility Patterns and Experiences of the Middle Classes in a Globalizing Age

What Stratum Are You? Narratives of Colombian Migrants Living in Melbourne and How They Experience Socioeconomic Stratification

“…177 In this thesis I explore the stories of eleven individuals from the Colombian capital, Bogotá, who are living in Melbourne to understand how they perceive, understand and experience the Colombian official socio-economic stratification system and how they make sense of Australian social structure and position themselves and others in it. It is important to understand whether and how migrants re-think and reposition themselves in the host country as these processes can impact the way they adapt and integrate into the host society (Guarnizo et al, 2017;Sabogal, 2012;Van Hear, 2014;Vasquez Maggio, 2017). In this chapter, I present the main findings and key contributions of this qualitative narrative study.…”

“…He thought that people invest substantial effort in the chase of a distinctive status, name and function within society in order to escape the finitude, contingency and absurdity of human existence (Wacquant, 1998). Bourdieu's works have served as a framework to different disciplines including contemporary studies in migration and class (Alcalde, 2018;Erel, 2010;Gomes, 2019;Oliver & O'Reilly, 2010;Ryan, 2011;Sabogal, 2012;Torres Casierra, 2016;Van Hear, 2014;Vasquez Maggio, 2017).…”

“…Particularly, skilled migrants tend to negotiate elements such as language, qualifications and occupation, which affect class perception (Ryan, 2011). For example, some studies have shown how different communities of Latin American migrants in Australia (Mexicans, Brazilians and Colombians) identify the existence of subtle social hierarchies among them based on elements such as occupation, profession, English skills, immigration status and age (Torres Casierra, 2016;Vasquez Maggio, 2017;Wulfhorst, 2014). Similarly, Colic-Peisker (2008) found that middle-class professional Croatians in Australia seek status outside the ethnic community, amid their professional peers.…”

“…Their studies offer a great contribution to the research of Colombian communities in Sydney and Melbourne; however, additional studies must be carried out to further the understanding of how Colombian migrants perceive and react to the Australian social structure, and how they perceive and position themselves and others using their understanding of social order. The importance of understanding whether and how Colombian migrants re-think and reposition themselves in Australia is that these processes can impact the way they adapt, integrate and develop a sense of belonging to the Australian society (Guarnizo, Chaudhary, & Sørensen, 2017;Sabogal, 2012;Van Hear, 2014;Vasquez Maggio, 2017). Furthermore, several studies show that developing a sense of belonging to the host society has positives effects on the physical and mental well-being of migrants while the lack of sense of belonging can lead to negative consequences (Alcalde, 2018;Anthias, 2016;Yuval-Davis, 2006).…”