ABSTRACT
This chapter further analyses the manifestation of structural inequalities through the medium of place by unpacking the localised practices of the ‘merchants of labour’ and the disparate costs and conditions of migration they produce. Locational differences in the extent of recruitment fees and migration-related debt further suggest that processes of uneven development have, in turn, produced uneven migration experiences that exacerbate underlying developmental contradictions. Place is fundamental in mediating the interplay between individual experiences and overarching constraints. This chapter explores the employment hurdles faced by each migrant community to demonstrate how the ‘merchants of labour’ employ strategies to exploit communal practices encumbered by their spatial fixity. It first addresses the cost of migrating and prevalence of debt across each of the four fieldwork locations, suggesting that the most socio-economically disadvantaged migrate under the most difficult circumstances. It then analyses the uneven costs and conditions of migration in relation to local institutions, emphasising the relationship between geography, communal knowledge and the strategies employed by agents and intermediaries. Finally, the chapter reflects on popular responses to migrant exploitation, navigating the tense coexistence of a patriarchal media backlash to women’s migration alongside a muted policy impetus to promote further migration.
