趕得上時代、遠行與作功德：泰國東北Isan移工的跨國現代性

Abstract

台灣的跨國移工研究，多著重跨國移工於台灣社會內部所遇限制，及遭逢勞動控制所形成的反抗，忽略了跨國移工處於跨國場域中，因而缺乏跨國主義取向的研究。本研究從跨國主義觀點出發，討論位於兩地間的跨國連結。以「現代性」為主題，本研究認為，跨國連結不只是鉅觀經濟結構限制，與微觀對於城市的想像，更須從地方社群的社會關係，及其文化意涵出發，始能理解跨國連結現象，在這些不同層次的再連結。 以泰國東北Isan勞工為研究對象，本研究首先從政治經濟學出發，探討跨國移動形成的客觀因素。勞動市場分割，與跨國移工生產所得，與再生產消費的分離，促成跨國移動的背景。而泰國東北地區，與全球各地的政經變化，使Isan移工們於不同時代，前往相異地區工作。 客觀的政治經濟結構，對於行動者的意識假設過於簡單。在泰國東北，學者指出泰國內部的政經變化，造成Isan人們對於「城市現代性」的嚮往，因而前往都市或繁華他國工作。但本研究認為，城鄉區隔遠比此單線嚮往複雜，Isan移工們往往處於兩地矛盾間，既期待城市生活，卻又對東北家鄉有所依戀。 處於現代兩地矛盾間的Isan移工，須從地方的社會關係及其文化意涵了解。泰國東北Isan女性，符合東北女性對於家庭的經濟角色，而外出工作。另一方面，她也運用了「趕得上時代」(ทันสมัย thansamay)的論述，以此新建立的社會關係，形成對於家鄉性別控制的反抗。 面臨女性遠行威脅，與對其性解放的擔憂，男性跨國移工的出現，可視為此一脈絡下的回應。在返鄉後，男性以泰國東北文化中，強調男性正面移動性的「遠行」(ไปเที่ยว pai thiaw)論述，以及交織著個人威望及社會關係的「作功德」(ทำบุญ tham bun)實踐，重申其在泰國東北社會中的地位。

Studies of transnational migrant workers in Taiwan put more emphasis on their limitations in Taiwan, and their resistances facing labor controls. Those studies often ignore transnational workers are locating in a transnational field. Therefore, there are few “transnationalism” studies. From transnationalism, this study discusses connections of transnational field. Take “modernity” as the main issue, this study argues, the transnational connections are not only formed by macro political economy or micro imagination of urban life. We should pay more attention to local social relations and their cultural meanings, and reconnect those connections of different levels. First, from aspects of political economy, this study examines the objective factors forming movement of Thai-Isan workers. The division of labor market and the separation of reproduction from production constitute the background of transnational movement. Besides, Thai and global politico-economic change push Thai-Isan workers to work in different regions. Studies of political economy often simplify actors’ motivations. In Thai-Isan, scholars indicate, the political economic changes cause the desires of ‘urban modernity’, and push Thai-Isan workers to work in the city or abroad. However, this study argues, the rural-urban division is more complex than one-way desire. Thai-Isan workers are often situated in the dilemma of urban life and their northeastern hometown. The dilemma of Thai-Isan migrant workers should be understood with local social relations and cultural meanings. Thai-Isan women work outside fitting economic roles of women in Thai-Isan community. Hoever, they use discourses of “up-to-date” (ทันสมัย thansamay) to form new social relations outside their hometown, and to resist gender control with their home community. Facing threat of women’s mobility and their sexual freedom, the emergence of transnational Thai-Isan male workers could be seen as a reaction to this context. After returning home, men use the discourses of “going playing” (ไปเที่ยว pai thiaw) to emphasize their positive experiences of mobility. Besides, they spend money they earned outside to “make merit” (ทำบุญ tham bun). Those discourses and practices, which are crucial in Thai-Isan socio-cultural life, are used by transnational Thai-Isan male workers to reclaim their status within social relations in Thai-Isan community.