Wails from the graves: the biopolitical citizenship of dead Filipino migrant workers in the Middle East under the Kafala sponsorship system.

Abstract

his study is a qualitative inquiry into the acquisition of "death rights" by families of Filipino migrant workers who died in the Middle East due to "human-induced reasons" under the influence of the Kafala sponsorship system. For developing countries like the Philippines where almost a quarter of its working population is employed in the Middle East, the study on how both domestic and foreign governments cooperate in upholding migrant workers' rights in this global region has become a significant focus of migration research over the years. However, even though there is a growing number of news stories on Filipino worker's deaths in the Middle East, which is an equally important angle on the plight of migrant workers, research on how these governments work and coordinate in ensuring the workers' "death rights," remain low. Through the use of grounded theory methodology, and process-tracing analysis, achieved through key informant interviews and focus group discussions, the research explores on three families' experiences and on Philippine government agencies' laws and protocols on the acquisition of "dead migrant worker's rights" – from the process of police investigation abroad, to forensic examination, to demise communication, to repatriation to the Philippines, and to death benefit provision. This study links the field of foreign policy vis-à-vis the field of human rights to examine the situation of Filipino migrant workers influenced by the policies of both domestic and foreign states, even in their death.