The public lecture entitled “Exploring The Narratives of Indonesian Ex-migrations to Taiwan” was successfully held on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at the Margono Building on the 2nd floor of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada from 10:00 to 12:00 WIB. The event, which was open to the public, was attended by lecturers and students of the faculty who have an interest in the topic of international migration. A question and answer session was held directly during the presentation of the material, providing an opportunity for participants to interact with the speaker. The speaker in this public lecture was an international student who is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Lithuania. This public lecture discussed several important aspects related to Indonesian migration to Taiwan. The topics explained in accordance with the title are Migration Background, Migration History, Migrant Experience, Identity and Community, Success Stories and Difficulties, Role of Media and Narratives, Policy and Support, Social and Economic Interaction, and Comparison with Migration to Other Countries.
The moral panic in the West over migration reflects the psychological state of society in which certain phenomena are perceived as threats to social values and interests. In this context, the moral panic about migration in the West is mounting and increasing, seen in cases such as the US-Mexico border, migrant boats heading to Europe and Australia, and the “green border” from Belarus to EU countries. Migration is often seen as a threat to Western culture and values, particularly to the liberal democratic order. In addition, migration is also considered a tool or weapon used by authoritarian regimes. The difficulty in controlling migration and reaching a common agreement among EU countries adds to the complexity of the issue, making it a political topic that divides nationalists and multiculturalists. In contemporary Western discourse, migration is often perceived as something that happens outside of government control. The public feels that government control only comes after migration has occurred, especially in terms of how to organize and integrate migrants, with a general sensation that Europe is like a train that has gone off the track. In Southeast Asia, migration does not seem to generate the same moral panic. This may be because migration regimes are more well-structured to meet market and societal needs, and migration is perceived and communicated not as a problem, but as a solution to the country’s underlying problems.
Lithuania’s migration trends show complex and diverse dynamics. Initially, migration flows from Lithuania to countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Norway were dominated by economic migrants working in factories with challenging conditions or in domestic care. Children of this generation were often raised by their grandparents, while remittances from migrants were used to build houses. However, negative images of migrants developed, associating them with low-quality work, betrayal of the state, and bad stereotypes such as the image of a plane full of drunk migrants returning to Lithuania. On the other hand, positive images of migrants began to emerge, emphasizing the experience and better lifestyle they had gained. Efforts to change the image of migrants and counter stereotypes are made through various programs, such as the Lithuanian government’s “Global Lithuania” aimed at migrant reintegration and diaspora relations (2012-2021) and the “Strategic Guidelines for the Lithuanian Diaspora Policy for 2022-2030.” In addition, the television show “(Ne)migrantal” emphasizes the shift from mere survival to achieving quality of life and personal success. The program aims to challenge the negative image of Lithuanian migrants and show the difference between long-time migrants and those currently seeking entry into the EU. The trend of migrants returning to the homeland also emerges when the economy improves, despite its repeated and failed referendums on dual citizenship. It is hoped that these topics will provide a comprehensive picture of Indonesians’ migration experience to Taiwan and the impact it has on both sides.
