Book Review: This is London: Life and Death in the World City
by Lennard Luckett (Student at the University of Sheffield in the module POL244, Spring 2024)
Ben Judah’s (2016) ‘This is London: Life and Death in the World City’ presents an ethnographic overview of the diverse realities of immigrants in London through his immersive journalism, uncovering the struggles of migrants through their personal stories. We'll begin this review with a summary of the key findings grounded in the central theme of economic migration. This will be anchored through intersecting themes, such as the politics of citizenship, to enrich our understanding of the dynamics of economic migration, further informed by the New Economic Theory of Migration, the Dual Labour Market Theory, and the myth of return (O'Reilly, 2023; Safran, 2011). I've chosen this perspective due to an economic outlook being the primary tenet for migration in Judah's narrative and, therefore, focusing our coverage on that ensures depth of analysis in a core area. By aligning Judah's narrative with these key themes, our goal is to merge his observations with scholarly debates, ensuring a focused and in-depth analysis. This approach reflects a carefully considered decision to highlight certain aspects while acknowledging the limitations of our coverage, therefore guaranteeing analytical depth. Critically analysing this, I will contend that although Judah’s illumination of personal stories from marginalised communities is a strength as it humanises the migrant experience, engagement with the scholarship is profoundly lacking due to any systemic analysis of the dimensions of migration being omitted. A call to action would broaden the contribution to understanding the complex dynamics of migration, establishing this as a crucial resource in the field of migration studies, advancing meaningful societal and policy reforms. Following this, I will recommend how Judah could effectively connect these stories to broader socio-economic and political structures. By probing into the potential for societal and policy reforms, I will explore how the book could've been leveraged to propel a compelling argument for progressive change, thereby enhancing its scholarly and practical impact.
Summary
Judah’s portrayal of London is one of opportunity but also immense hardship for migrants. This is presented through varied ethnographic encounters that are illustrative of broader themes on economic migration, the politics of citizenship, and the myth of return.
On one hand, the story of Pawel, a political refugee from Poland who transformed his life into becoming a successful business owner, exemplifies the New EconomicTheory of Migration, positing that individuals migrate due to a strategy of improving
the economic well-being of their households (Judah, 2016; O'Reilly, 2023; Porumbescu, 2015). His economic success has allowed Pawel to embrace a dual identity, giving him “the chance to be both Polish... and a little English" (Judah, 2016, p. 166). This transition emphasises the relationship between social integration and economic success, illustrating the concept of ‘naturalisation as a discretionary award’, where his economic accomplishments have enhanced his assimilation (Badenhoop, 2023).
However, this success story is starkly juxtaposed throughout. A common trope illustrated ethnographically throughout is the contrast between the vision of London prior to moving, where it’s presented as a land “where money would be growing on
trees," and the brutal reality of economic struggle, legal challenges in obtaining proper documentation, and the often insurmountable barriers of navigating an unfamiliar and sometimes unwelcoming environment (Judah, 2016, p. 410). This is
substantiated through Akwese’s story who was originally an aspiring entrepreneur reeled in by the promises of economic prosperity to someone “locked, in London," unable to leave due to his undocumented status and fear of losing the economic
prosperity that once seemed attainable, and now only able to do undocumented low-wage kitchen work (Judah, 2016, p. 92). This dynamic is understood economically through Dual Labour Market Theory, which states that advanced economies divide employment sectors into stable, well-paid positions and precarious, low-wage positions, which Akwese is forced into due to his undocumented status (Müller, 2003). When analysing the politics of citizenship, this reflects the myth of return, as Akwese’s disillusionment with dreams of success abroad hinders their ability to return home triumphantly (Bolognani, 2015; Safran, 2011). Akwese’s experience is posited as a reflection of the 600,000 undocumented immigrants in London, signalling that having a recognised legal status is essential for pursuing economic opportunities and accessing better living conditions (Judah, 2016. p. 91).
While Judah’s platforming of marginalised voices humanises and provides unique insights into the migrant experience, the book ultimately falls short due to its lack of critical systematic analysis and call to action. By assessing the strengths and limitations of Judah’s work, we advocate for a deeper integration of personal narratives with systematic analysis to drive impactful change.
Critical Analysis
The strength of Judah’s work lies in his humanisation of the migrant experience, offering a platform for marginalised voices, upheld through his empathetic engagement. Judah’s narrative method aligns with Triandafyllidou (2021), who advocates for the addition of personal narratives in understanding the complexities of the migrant experience. Judah’s successful engagement is further supported by Schiller and Çağlar (2011), who underscore the significance of representing marginalised experiences to reveal how migrants actively engage and are influenced by urban environments. This is crucial because it challenges static notions of identity and belonging, highlighting the varied interactions between migrants and the city. Judah achieves this by presenting a variety of stories, from the daughter of a sheikh to a Romanian beggar, without judgement. Judah offers an authentic approach to migration and its effects on individual lives, which complements academic discussions on migration through storytelling instead of statistics. The narrative provides an ethnographic edge to existing scholarship on migration that often overlooks these hidden realities.
While Judah's rich narratives through his ethnography provide unique insights, overall, the book is significantly limited in its academic contribution as it does not systematically analyse the underlying issues nor make a call to action. These elements are essential in contextualising these stories within the larger framework of global migration dynamics. Castles, Miller, and Ammendola (2005) stress this by highlighting the importance of considering the broader context of migration, including global economic inequalities and policy. Axelsson et al., (2021) reinforce this by arguing that to understand migration in a nuanced way, it’s essential to explore the interactions among various actors within the regulatory environment. Consequently, a notable scholarly gap emerges due to the insufficient understanding of how these situations develop. This deficit comes from Judah’s failure to detail the impact of policies on immigrant lives, thus making the vividly depicted shock factor lack an anchor in policy decisions. The absence of systematic analysis by Judah leads to meaningful policy reforms not being discussed. Crawley (2010) emphasises the significance of research that engages critically with policy and advocates for change, as this creates the framework to impact migration policy and practice meaningfully. Therefore, such a systemic analysis and call to action are crucial, as Judah's failure to leverage his narrative to advocate for more inclusive and equitable migration policies undermines the potential impact of his work as a key resource in the field of migration studies. Without any form of agenda for change, readers are left informed but not empowered to seek change.
Recommendations
Building on this critique, the direct policies that Judah should have engaged with to systematically understand the plight of migrants would be the UK’s 'hostile environment' policies. These are an intentional set of UK government measures aimed at making staying in the UK as difficult as possible for people without leave to remain, in an effort to encourage voluntary departure (Griffiths, 2022). These measures include restricting access to work, housing, healthcare, and banking services for individuals without legal immigration status (Griffiths & Yeo, 2021).
Amid London's portrayal as a "country of rights," being unchallenged, the subtle influence of 'hostile environment' policies on immigrant narratives in the book are apparent, especially through Akwese's observations of ethnic divisions in labour markets, differentiating between what he calls "African work" and "Polish work", highlighting employment disparities that stem from differences in immigration status (Judah, 2016, pp. 82, 94). By using a critical lens informed by World Systems Theory, we can understand how policies maintain power imbalances, which corresponds to the core-periphery dynamics seen in Judah's ethnographic observations of inequality (Arango, 2002). By grounding the book in a critical manner, this mobilises a call to action, establishing an eagerness for policy reforms to foster safe and legal pathways for asylum seekers, decriminalise migration, and ensure that migrants have access to essential services. This would enhance the book's value to academics and policymakers as a crucial resource for understanding and influencing migration policies.
Conclusion
Ben Judah's 'This is London' brings home the migrant experience with such intensity, yet its greater potential remains unfulfilled because it fails to make a systemic examination and argue for policy change. An interweave of personal narratives alongside a critique of the ‘hostile environment’ policies with recommendations that are implementable could have, however, taken migration discourse to a new level as far as societal transformation is concerned. This essay reveals Judah's oversights and makes a strong case for further academic research to address these gaps. This emphasises the need for contributions from scholars that go beyond simply recording the experiences of migrants and instead actively promote just and fair policies. By taking this action, ‘This is London’ would become an indispensable tool for migration research, possessing the ability to influence both policy and society.
References
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Axelsson, L. et al. (2021) 'Re-visiting the “Black Box” of Migration: State-intermediary co-production of regulatory spaces of labour migration', Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 48(3), pp. 594–612. doi:10.1080/1369183x.2021.1978285
Badenhoop, E. (2023) 'Rationalities of Naturalisation: Citizenship as Award or Entitlement'. In: Calling for the Super Citizen: Naturalisation Procedures in the United Kingdom and Germany, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 65-101
Bolognani, M. (2015) 'From myth of return to return fantasy: A psychosocial interpretation of migration imaginaries', Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, 23(2), pp. 193–209. doi:10.1080/1070289x.2015.1031670
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Triandafyllidou, A. (2021) 'The global governance of migration: Towards a “messy” approach', International Migration, 60(4), pp. 19–27. doi:10.1111/imig.12931
You can contact the author by email: lennyluckett@gmail.com