View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by KU ScholarWorks “MIGRATING WITH DIGNITY”: A STUDY OF THE KIRIBATI-AUSTRALIA NURSING INITIATIVE (KANI) By ©2013 Lara K. O’Brien Submitted to the graduate degree program in Geography and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts. ____________________________ Chairperson Jay T. Johnson ____________________________ Barney Warf ____________________________ J. Christopher Brown Date Defended: October 25th, 2013 The Thesis Committee for Lara K. O’Brien Certifies that this is the approved version of the following thesis: “MIGRATING WITH DIGNITY”: A STUDY OF THE KIRIBATI-AUSTRALIA NURSING INITIATIVE (KANI) ____________________________ Chairperson Jay T. Johnson Date approved: October 25th, 2013 ii ABSTRACT Due to the effects of extreme climate change and overcrowding, it has been predicted that the Republic of Kiribati, a small island nation in the Pacific, could become completely uninhabitable by 2050. With the country’s long-term sustainability and survival under threat, President Anote Tong has proposed the “migrating with dignity” strategy to collaborate with developed countries and create educational training programs in hopes that more I-Kiribati will be able to gain employment and move overseas. My thesis examines this relocation strategy with a particular focus on the Kiribati Australia Nursing Initiative (KANI) at Griffith University in Brisbane. Using an in-depth qualitative approach, my study focuses on the KANI students’ motivations for leaving Kiribati, their personal experiences with the program, and its impact on their lives. My results hope to provide insight into the importance of this and other migration policies to Kiribati and other atoll nations of the Pacific region. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my sincerest gratitude to everyone associated with the KANI program who helped make this research possible. In particular, I wish to thank the Student Contact Officers and the KANI students for generously sharing their time, knowledge, and understanding of the program, as well as their personal stories and perspectives. I also wish to thank my advisor, my thesis committee, and all of my friends and family for their patience, guidance, and support. Thank you. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acceptance Page ii Abstract ................................. iii Acknowledgements ................................. iv CHAPTER 1: Introduction ................................. 1 Research Approach ................................. 1 Research Questions ................................. 2 Migration and Policy in the Pacific ................................. 2 Republic of Kiribati ................................. 3 “Migrating with Dignity” ................................. 4 Kiribati-Australia Nursing Initiative (KANI) ................................. 5 Structure of Thesis ................................. 5 CHAPTER 2: History and Culture of the Islands ................................. 6 First Inhabitants ................................. 7 Early Society and Culture ................................. 9 Traditional Beliefs ................................. 15 Early European Contact ................................. 16 Influence of Missions ................................. 20 Labor Recruiting ................................. 22 Sphere of Influence to British Colony ................................. 24 World War II to Independence ................................. 30 Summary ................................. 33 CHAPTER 3: Current Conditions and Migration Policies ................................. 35 Socioeconomic Challenges .................................. 36 Environmental Challenges .................................. 40 Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise .................................. 44 Impact of Climate Change on Kiribati .................................. 46 Motivations for Migration .................................. 47 Migration Policies and Programs .................................. 51 v Kiribati-Australia Nursing Initiative (KANI) .................................. 59 Summary .................................. 62 CHAPTER 4: Methodology .................................. 63 Research Design .................................. 63 Research Documents .................................. 66 Research Approval .................................. 68 Data Collection .................................. 69 Data Analysis .................................. 71 Limitations .................................. 72 Summary .................................. 75 CHAPTER 5: Data and Analysis: Motivations for Migration .................................. 76 Socio-Economic Factors .................................. 76 Climate Change and Migration .................................. 86 Summary .................................. 95 CHAPTER 6: Data and Analysis: KANI Program .................................. 96 Past .................................. 96 Present .................................. 107 Future .................................. 117 Summary .................................. 125 CHAPTER 7: Conclusion .................................. 127 Current Conditions .................................. 127 Summary of Main Themes .................................. 129 Impending Policy Changes in the Pacific .................................. 133 Recommendations for Future Research .................................. 135 References .................................. 136 Appendixes .................................. 150 Appendix A: Maps .................................. 150 Fig. 1: The Republic of Kiribati .................................. 150 Fig. 2: The Island Groups of Kiribati .................................. 151 vi Fig. 3: The Gilbert Islands .................................. 152 Fig. 4: Tarawa Atoll .................................. 153 Fig. 5: Gilbert and Ellice Islands .................................. 154 Appendix B: Consent and Authorization Form .................................. 155 Appendix C: Sample Questions for Interviews and Focus Groups .................................. 157 Appendix D: Recruitment Email #1 .................................. 158 Appendix E: Recruitment Email #2 .................................. 159 Appendix F: Interview/Focus Group Availability Form for KANI Study .................................. 160 vii CHAPTER ONE Introduction Rising sea levels and other effects of climate change are threatening the long-term survival of the Republic of Kiribati and other low-lying small-island nations in the Pacific Ocean. In addition to increased climatic variability, however, Kiribati already faces some of the most extreme social, economic, and environmental challenges in the world, including high rates of overcrowding, poverty, and youth unemployment. The purpose of this thesis is to examine one possible solution to help address these issues, the “migrating with dignity” strategy recently introduced by the President of Kiribati, Anote Tong, with particular focus on the pilot Kiribati- Australia Nursing Initiative (KANI) program at Griffith University in Australia. Using a qualitative approach involving extensive interviews with currently enrolled I- Kiribati students, this study aims to gain an understanding of the students’ personal experiences with the program and how it could potentially influence future migration and relocation strategies and policy. I hope to contribute to the current research concerning the “migrating with dignity” strategy and the significant political, economic, and cultural implications it could have for Kiribati, Australia, New Zealand, and other small-island nations dealing with similar climatic, economic, and social pressures. Research Approach After reading about the KANI program for the first time in an article on the National Public Radio website titled, “Preparing for Sea Level Rise, Islanders Leave Home,” by Brian Reed (2011), I was instantly captivated. I wanted to learn more about the program and the reasons behind its creation, including the potential impact of climate change in the islands and the socio-economic challenges influencing migration and relocation. I also wanted to know more about the individual students taking part in the program. What were their personal motivations 1 for enrolling? What were their experiences like living and working in Australia? What would earning a nursing degree from this program mean to them and to their families? What did they hope to do after graduation? Would they go back to their home islands in Kiribati or would they stay in Australia? What were the different push and pull factors behind this decision? With the goal of hopefully discovering the answers to these questions and more, I chose to conduct a qualitative research study focusing on the KANI program and the personal narratives of the I- Kiribati students enrolled. Research Questions Based on this approach, I formulated three main research questions to guide my thesis work and frame all of my data collection and analysis activities: 1. What were the push and pull factors (social, economic, environmental) that motivated the I-Kiribati students to apply for the KANI program and move to Australia? 2. What were the personal experiences of the KANI students both before and after they were accepted into the program? 3. What impact has this program had on the students’ present and future lives and what significance