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| Photo Credit – globaleye.com |
In
the lexicon of human migration there are still hierarchical words, created with
the purpose of putting white people above everyone else. One of those remnants
is the word “expat”.
the lexicon of human migration there are still hierarchical words, created with
the purpose of putting white people above everyone else. One of those remnants
is the word “expat”.
What
is an expat? And who is an expat? According to Wikipedia, “an expatriate (often
shortened to expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a
country other than that of the person’s upbringing. The word comes from the
Latin terms ex (‘out of’) and patria (‘country, fatherland’)”.
is an expat? And who is an expat? According to Wikipedia, “an expatriate (often
shortened to expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a
country other than that of the person’s upbringing. The word comes from the
Latin terms ex (‘out of’) and patria (‘country, fatherland’)”.
Defined
that way, you should expect that any person going to work outside of his or her
country for a period of time would be an expat, regardless of his skin colour
or country. But that is not the case in reality; expat is a term reserved
exclusively for western white people going to work abroad.
that way, you should expect that any person going to work outside of his or her
country for a period of time would be an expat, regardless of his skin colour
or country. But that is not the case in reality; expat is a term reserved
exclusively for western white people going to work abroad.
Africans
are immigrants. Arabs are immigrants. Asians are immigrants. However, Europeans
are expats because they can’t be at the same level as other ethnicities. They
are superior. Immigrants is a term set aside for ‘inferior races’.
are immigrants. Arabs are immigrants. Asians are immigrants. However, Europeans
are expats because they can’t be at the same level as other ethnicities. They
are superior. Immigrants is a term set aside for ‘inferior races’.
Don’t
take my word for it. The Wall Street Journal, the leading financial information
magazine in the world, has a blog dedicated to
the life of expats and recently they featured a story ‘Who is an expat,
anyway?’. Here are the main conclusions: “Some arrivals are described as
expats; others as immigrants; and some simply as migrants. It depends on social
class, country of origin and economic status. It’s strange to hear some people
in Hong Kong described as expats, but not others. Anyone with roots in a
western country is considered an expat … Filipino domestic helpers are just
guests, even if they’ve been here for decades. Mandarin-speaking mainland
Chinese are rarely regarded as expats … It’s a double standard woven into
official policy.”
take my word for it. The Wall Street Journal, the leading financial information
magazine in the world, has a blog dedicated to
the life of expats and recently they featured a story ‘Who is an expat,
anyway?’. Here are the main conclusions: “Some arrivals are described as
expats; others as immigrants; and some simply as migrants. It depends on social
class, country of origin and economic status. It’s strange to hear some people
in Hong Kong described as expats, but not others. Anyone with roots in a
western country is considered an expat … Filipino domestic helpers are just
guests, even if they’ve been here for decades. Mandarin-speaking mainland
Chinese are rarely regarded as expats … It’s a double standard woven into
official policy.”
The
reality is the same in Africa and
Europe. Top African professionals going to work in Europe are not considered
expats. They are immigrants. Period. “I work for multinational organisations
both in the private and public sectors. And being black or coloured doesn’t
gain me the term “expat”. I’m a highly qualified immigrant, as they call me, to
be politically correct,” says an African migrant worker.
reality is the same in Africa and
Europe. Top African professionals going to work in Europe are not considered
expats. They are immigrants. Period. “I work for multinational organisations
both in the private and public sectors. And being black or coloured doesn’t
gain me the term “expat”. I’m a highly qualified immigrant, as they call me, to
be politically correct,” says an African migrant worker.
Most
white people deny that they enjoy the privileges of a racist system. And why
not? But our responsibility is to point out and to deny them these privileges,
directly related to an outdated supremacist ideology. If you see those “expats”
in Africa, call them immigrants like everyone else. If that hurts their white
superiority, they can jump in the air and stay there. The political
deconstruction of this outdated worldview must continue.
white people deny that they enjoy the privileges of a racist system. And why
not? But our responsibility is to point out and to deny them these privileges,
directly related to an outdated supremacist ideology. If you see those “expats”
in Africa, call them immigrants like everyone else. If that hurts their white
superiority, they can jump in the air and stay there. The political
deconstruction of this outdated worldview must continue.
Mawuna Remarque Koutonin is the editor of SiliconAfrica.com, where this blog was first
published. Follow @siliconafrica on
Twitter.
published. Follow @siliconafrica on
Twitter.