Migrant placemaking as a response to governing through mobility-making: An ethnic enclave and a digital community in South Korea

Abstract

This paper examines migrant placemaking in South Korea as a proactive response to governing power that works through making (im)mobilities. Unlike previous discussions that have viewed migrants' empowerment in political activities and identity-related in a particular type of enclaves, this study sees migrant placemaking as a proactive response to governing through mobilities and comprehensively embraces various types of placemaking in South Korea. Based on mix-up of various qualitative research methods, this study documents the migrant placemaking practices over time of two representative and quite different migrant groups: Chosǒnjok's enclave in Kuro-Taerim area of Seoul and Latin Americans' digital communities. The former represents a big migrant group's physical and discursive migrant placemaking. Chosǒnjok migrants struggled with their stigmatised images and mistrust towards both China and Korea. The latter represents a small migrant group's digital placemaking. Latin American migrants were left without much knowledge about and recognition from the Korean society. We demonstrate how in seeking a community for themselves they adapt their environment, thereby empowering themselves. In demonstrating the interrelation of migrant placemaking and governing power, this study contributes to the understanding of the circuits of power, mobility and place in the case of migrants in South Korea.