Migration is a major cause of identity change. Those changes include not only the loss of distinct cultural practices and identities, but also the formation of new practices and identities. For example, the Western Hemisphere's racial identities and national identities are all consequences of migration linked to processes of globalization. The outcomes are often surprising, such as when the descendants of colonizers and immigrants adopt identities asserted to be indigenous to the places they have migrated to.

When I studied Mexican immigration to California in Reimagining the Immigrant, I noted there were two outcomes for immigrant identity, neither of which was linked to cultural loss per se. One outcome was experienced by working families with more permanent employment and settlement characteristics. They were being integrated into the community by local institutions. Workers with less stable employment and residences were excluded from community life. The dual outcomes were a continuation of a class division that pre-dated Mexican immigration. The two groups were ethnicized differently even though they were culturally identical and shared the same origins.

In my more recent work looking at people claiming indigenous identities, I have described how this phenomenon is stimulated in part by the ongoing high level of immigration and anti-immigrant prejudice. In short, the descendants of much earlier immigrants from the same place as the current ones do experience their identity differently and wish to differentiate themselves from those later arrivals by claiming to be local indigenes.

I would modify my original formulation of this that I published in Imagining Globalization, because there clearly has been an increasing indigenization of identity among more recent immigrants now. This is relatively recent.

Globalization and migration patterns significantly impact the preservation of ethnic identities and cultural practices, especially for marginalized groups like the Rohingya and Moro people in Thailand. These impacts are complex, often leading to both the erosion and reinforcement of cultural identities.

1. Erosion of Cultural Practices: Globalization brings dominant cultural influences, often leading to the dilution of traditional practices. For displaced groups like the Rohingya and Moro, who are either refugees or minorities, external pressures such as assimilation, economic demands, and the adoption of globalized values can weaken their cultural distinctiveness. In urban settings, where many migrants move, traditions, languages, and religious practices may struggle to survive due to the fast-paced and commercialized nature of cities.

2. Reinforcement of Identity: Conversely, globalization and migration can also act as catalysts for ethnic groups to assert their cultural identities. The Rohingya, for example, are stateless and face persecution, which has heightened their sense of identity. In the face of discrimination and violence, maintaining cultural and religious practices becomes a means of resistance and survival. The Moro people, while indigenous to the Philippines, share similar struggles in Southern Thailand, where their distinct Islamic identity contrasts with the predominantly Buddhist population. Global platforms allow these communities to raise awareness about their struggles, strengthening their sense of belonging and community across borders.

3. Diaspora and Cultural Exchange: Migration also leads to the formation of diaspora communities, where ethnic groups can preserve their traditions even while adapting to new environments. For instance, Rohingya refugees in Thailand may rely on transnational networks with the Rohingya diaspora globally, fostering a sense of solidarity. Similarly, the Moro people may find cultural exchange opportunities with other Muslim communities, allowing for a dynamic exchange of religious and social practices.

Global migration, via legal or illegal means, often poses challenges to the "status quo" of the host nation, especially if there are marked sectarian/race/ethnic differences. Contravening cultures often clash with the initial wave of "outsiders." However, subsequent generations adopt attributes of the host society often at the expense of their original culture. This ambiguity among the second generations can lead to a sense of cultural/psychological anomie resulting in an increase in social and legal conflicts. This form of "collective culture trauma" was first addressed early in the 20th century by the emergent discipline of social psychology at the Chicago School in the USA.

An often overlooked technique of the preservation of ethnic identities and cultural patterns occurs as new immigrants coalesce in a various locations in their host country to practice their own particular or perhaps a form of generalized cultural ways. Examples include shopping together in groups, meeting in a parking lot, or attending a culturally similar festival or fair. It's a period of not forgetting one's cultural identity, like reaching for the stars while keeping their feet on the proverbial cultural ground from which they came.

They will definitely impact the preservation of ethnic identities due to the processes of integration and assimilation. Living in the host country will affect the preservation of ethnic identities whether at school, work, shopping as the persons are supposed to speak the language of the host country and know about the culture of the host country. The process of cultural metamorphosis will be triggered and lead to what Bhabha calls the third space where the contestation between the two cultures, origin and host, take place. The impact on the 2nd generation would be greater than the 1st and so on.