The significance of social capital in intergenerational social mobility of former Indian plantation based communities : a case study of the Matang plantations

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Date
2009-05
Authors
D. Wilson, Pearl Sheila
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Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This thesis presents a micro-sociological study of socio-cultural consequences of the changing landscape of the Malaysian plantation that have undergone significant development and restructuring. Changes in terms of recapitalisation and reorientation of the plantation towards capital intensive ventures has directly affected the social fabric of the plantation community. One of the most significant change is the displacement of workers when the plantation is restructured by closure. The thesis seeks to analyse the extend and the capacity of the displaced workers, to adapt and adjust to the new social environment while burdened by the constraints of the historically embedded encapsulating social and cultural sub-system of the 'estate culture', noted for its culture of poverty habitus. The main objective IS to study the historical processes that contribute to the crystallisation of the 'estate culture' and the structure that encapsulate and at the same time marginalise plantation workers within the constraints of peripheral network of estate habitus. Based on an ethnographic study of the expenences of former plantation workers. this thesis shows that the combined effect of the long history of exploitation and peripheralisation subsequent condition of marginalisation has encapsulated the plantation in a convoluted close system, that retard significant social mobility through lack of significant social network and viable social capital. Even though there are some who choose to leave the plantation, this thesis shows that it does not constitute social mobility. For those who still remain within the plantation vicinity, are relatively incapacitated by limited access to education, skills, training and access to networks and linkages. Attempt to integrate the explantation workers into mainstream society necessitates a social reorientation from the historically crystallised capsule of the 'estate habitus.' This can only be achieved with the help of a safety net provided for by the government, civil society and the plantation owners notwithstanding.
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Socio-cultural
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