Personal Narrative: My Grandfather's Migration To Australia

In many ways, my grandfather had fewer occupational and educational opportunities than his predecessors. This was partially because of his family’s economic situation. His family’s social and economic positions might be explained by conflict theory or the Labour theories of Karl Marx. Marx viewed labour as a commodity that was always sold at a rate below its value. (Smith P. , 2013). In my grandfather’s case, there were not buyers to pay him a higher rate. My grandfather’s family was not well-off. They were part of the working class, rather than the bourgeoisie. And there was little social mobility where he resided and he had few opportunities to improve his situation. He was not likely to become a factory owner or merchant. (Rice University, 2012). Political factors also affected his labour opportunities.

Both World War II and the civil war greatly affected his decisions and were responsible for his relocation to Austria and his eventual migration to Australia. This move, however, opened up occupation and educational opportunities for my father and me. It is very possible that, if my grandfather had been able to stay in Bosnia that he would have continued to work on his family’s land. It is possible that my father and I would …show more content…
Firstly, I undertake unpaid domestic work, or had I been performing this role in the mid-to-late 19th century, I would have been known as a “housewife” (Edgell, 2006a). This generally is associated with a low social status due to lack of payment, the job being gendered and that there is no need for formal training to be successful in this job (Edgell, 2006a). However, research has shown that the ability to control the scheduling of tasks and to achieve these domestic tasks without direct supervision was highly valued by full time unpaid housewives (Lopata; 1972; Oakley, 1974). This again comes back having pride in your work and feeling like you are