Global Asian City, the latest title in the RGS-IBG book series, examines how migration has changed Seoul and South Korea over the last 20 years. Dr Francis L. Collins compares the experiences of three types of migrants – migrant workers, English teachers and international students – to understand the role urban spaces play in migration processes. Drawing on 120 interviews with migrants to Seoul, the book advances understanding of the relationship between migration and cities.
Dr Collins begins by recounting an interaction with the owner of a small manufacturing operation which illustrates the divergent opportunities open to migrants. From the migrant worker labouring long hours for substandard pay to the expat business owner who resides in comfortable accommodation free to come and go as he desires, this encounter sets the context for the book.
Dr David Featherstone, Editor of the RGS-IBG book series, said: “In Global Asian City Francis Collins uses detailed research on contemporary Seoul to shed light on the relationship between migration and cities. While experiences of migration are often thought of as similar, by engaging with the contrasting experiences of migrant workers from South-East Asia, English teachers from countries like Australia and the UK, and international students at elite universities, Collins shows some of the very different experiences that animate contemporary migration. He shows, however, the ways in which migrants from contrasting backgrounds, places and status nonetheless contribute to making the city in different ways.”
Global Asian City is a comparative project which seeks to draw together the lives of different migrants, the entanglement of migratory processes and the transformation of the city itself. Seoul, with its rapidly increasing foreign resident population and new flows of migrants, has been altered in ways that, Dr Collins argues, demands new focus on urban diversity and national multiculturalism.
Global Asian City is available now from the Wiley website.
Society members receive up to a 35% discount on titles in the RGS-IBG book series when ordering through Wiley. Log in to our website to access your discount code and simply enter at the checkout on the Wiley website.