Marginalization within Marginalized Communities

For decades, migration has been a pressing issue, reshaping societies across continents and generating uncertainty, fear and anger within communities. While there is generally a decent amount of focus on the discrimination between dominant and minority groups, marginalization within marginalized communities is often overlooked. The cases of the United States and the Czech Republic  demonstrate the inter-webbing layers that marginalization can manifest itself in. There exists a complicated relationship between Latino migrants who have been living in the U.S. for several generations and those who arrived more recently. In the Czech Republic, disharmony and disrespect between pre-war and wartime Ukrainian immigrants prevail.

In the U.S., migration narratives frequently center on the discrimination that immigrant groups face as a whole. Yet, behind the essentialist narrative, there lies discrimination within these communities themselves, which often perpetuates systemic inequities from deep within. According to a study published by School Avoidance Alliance, Mexican migrants in the U.S. often face discrimination from white Americans and from other Latino communities. Mexicans are accused of "bringing crime and crisis," even by members of other immigrant groups who attempt to distance themselves from such stereotypes, so as to save themselves from falling under the same stereotype. It is clear that even though this internal marginalization is fueled by the fear of more forceful external discrimination, it still leads to division within the communities themselves. This further adds to the fear and anger that is already very common within discriminated groups, leading to a more violent perception of the group as a whole. The outcome is yet again a vicious cycle of marginalization, further increasing the division between non-marginalized and marginalized groups.

Trader, an international journal of social science and economic journals, presents an extraordinary example of marginalization within migrant groups. Most migrants who arrive at the Franco-Italian border do so after a long, mentally and physically demanding journey, often by sea or in more than one country. Testimonies from migrants collected by advocacy organizations reveal stark hierarchies within migrant populations. For example, those coming from sub-Saharan Africa frequently face exclusion and discrimination by North African migrants despite their shared experiences of displacement and difficulty.

Testimonies collected by SPRH volunteers reveal that some migrant groups prioritize aiding those they perceive as culturally or linguistically similar to themselves. This phenomenon reinforces divisions within the group, halting collective efforts to advocate for better treatment and resources from the mayor or NGOs. 

Marginalization within marginalized groups is an under-examined phenomenon that has an understated impact on the quality of lives of migrants. The cases of the U.S., Czech Republic and Franco-Italian border show how internal fragmentation of a community can further reinforce the unequal treatment that these groups are facing, expanding the division between them and the rest of the population. 

Migration is a recurring social and geopolitical phenomenon that the world has always grappled with. Especially in light of recent wars and conflicts, further research on the dynamics within marginalized migrant communities could lead to a better understanding of these complexities. Doing so is the only viable pathway from the essentialization of marginalized groups, which could prove crucial in pivoting towards a more equal treatment of marginalized communities globally.

The experience of marginalization within marginalized groups is also evident in the Czech Republic, my home country, making this a very relevant issue in the country I grew up in. The increased immigration after the beginning of the war in Ukraine highlights the challenges of integration, even within the immigrant community itself. Ever since the fall of the Soviet unions, thousands of people have migrated to the Czech Republic to find better economic opportunities. These immigrants moved into the Czech Republic intending to stay long-term, be it both sending remittances back home or starting a new life. These migrants, therefore, aimed to gradually seek to attempt and integrate into Czech society. However, the outbreak of war prompted a new wave of migration, shifting public and governmental attitudes.  

Immigrants, who entered the Czech republic after 2022 as war immigrants of the war in Ukraine and those who have been living in the Czech Republic for decades very often stand in opposition to one another. These two groups differ in terms of socioeconomic status, with the latter being more reliant on humanitarian aid. The disparity in income levels and opportunities has led to divisions and a lack of cohesion within the Ukrainian community in the Czech Republic. Moreover, the Czech government's lack of comprehensive integration policies has exacerbated these divisions, leaving newer immigrants with fewer tools for successful assimilation.  

The division within the Ukrainian immigrant community is a clear example of a more nuanced societal issue: it is difficult to address the needs of marginalized groups without an understanding of their complex relations, which means that it is often almost impossible—both for non-governmental organisations as well as for governments—to tackle the needs of niche communities within the large immigrant communities amid an already under-funded and underappreciated system.