Immigration as practice of organization: discussions about practices of organization, displacement, and integration of Haitian immigrants in the Goiânia Metropolitan Region, in Goiás, Brazil

Abstract This study aims to discuss the practices of displacement and organization that are part of the process of integrating Haitian immigrants in the countries that they live, in their diaspora process. Haiti is a country historically marked by displacement, which is observed since the colonial period, when people were forcibly displaced to be enslaved. This article will focus on the process of displacement, through the theoretical lens of Practice-Based Studies, using Michel de Certeau’s theory about social practices, associated with the concepts of Tim Cresswell about displacement and immigration as practice. The research was conducted between August and December 2017 in two Haitian communities in the Goiânia Metropolitan Region, in the state of Goiás, located in Central-West Brazil. For the production of empirical material, we used the techniques of life history interview and participant observation, by accompanying the everyday life activities in the immigrant’s communities. The results show that the practice of displacement of Haitian immigrants is an unfinished and still in process phenomenon, involving different dimensions of events, with international, national, and commuting displacement. It was also possible to conclude that the displacement practices are permeated by organizational practices and that “organizing” and “migrating” are processes involved. In addition, the practice of organization is a key component for integration and access to the workplace in Brazil. Therefore, immigration can be considered sets of practices to organize mobility experiences that are spatially multi-localized and incorporated.

摘要：本研究旨在探讨海地移民在散居进程中，于定居国融入进程内所涉及的流离实践与组织实践。海地是一个历来以流离失所为显著特征的国家，该现象自殖民时期便已显现——彼时当地民众被强行掳掠为奴，遭遇流离失所。本文将以基于实践的研究为理论视角，依托米歇尔·德·塞托（Michel de Certeau）的社会实践理论，结合蒂姆·克雷斯韦尔（Tim Cresswell）将流离与移民视作实践的相关概念，聚焦海地移民的流离过程展开探讨。本研究于2017年8月至12月期间，在巴西中西部戈亚斯州戈亚尼亚都会区的两个海地移民社区开展。为获取实证资料，本研究采用生活史访谈与参与式观察法，通过追踪移民社区内的日常生产生活活动采集数据。研究结果显示，海地移民的流离实践是一项尚未完成、仍在推进的现象，涉及国际流离、国内流离与通勤式流离等多重维度的实践场景。此外本研究还可得出结论：流离实践与组织实践相互渗透，“组织”与“移民”实为相互交织的进程。同时，组织实践亦是海地移民在巴西实现社会融入并获取工作岗位的核心要件。据此可认为，移民可被视为一系列用于组织流动性体验的实践活动，这些体验兼具空间多地域性与具身性特征。