Migration – wrap up
E.G. Ravenstein
• His theory of migration is the basis for
contemporary geography migration studies
• In the 1880s proposed several migration
principles – many still true
-
To summarize the principles, most
migrants:
•
•
•
•
•
Move only a short distance
Usually settle in urban areas if moving long distance
Move in steps
Move from rural to urban
Start a migration flow that produces a movement in
opposite direction
• Are adult (families w/ children are less likely to move)
• If international, are young males whereas more
internal migrants are female, but this has changed
recently, now 40% to 60% of international migrants are
female
• Migrants were not representative of a cross
section of their sending population
• Most are young adults in all regions of the
world
• Female= move for better economic
opportunities
• All send remittances (money) home to their
families
Example
• Since early 1990s Indians working abroad in
oil-exporting countries of the Persian Gulf
send remittances home to India that
contribute more to the Indian balance of
payments then all other forms of capital
inflow added together. Migrants also are
typically well educated, and this often creates
a “brain drain” backing home in their sending
country.
Wilber Zelinsky identified a Migration
Transition
• Consists of changes in a society comparable to
those in a demographic transition
Stage
Demographic Transition
Migration Transition
1
Low NIR, High CBR, high CDR
High daily or seasonal mobility in search for
food
2
High NIR, high CBR, rapidly
declining CDR
High international emigration and
interregional migration from rural to urban
areas
*country has a lot of international migration
3
Declining NIR, rapidly
declining CBR, declining CDR
High international migration and intraregional
migration from cities to suburbs
4
Low NIR, low CBR, Low CDR
Same as stage 3
• It is a change in the migration pattern in a
society that results from the social and
economic changes that also produce the
demographic transition
International Migration: permanent
move from one country to another
2 types
1. Voluntary Migration: implies that the migrant
has chosen to move especially for economic
improvement
2. Forced migration: means that the migrant
has been compelled to move esp. by political
or environmental factors
• Distinction between voluntary and forced not
clear cut
– Those migrating for economic reasons may feel
forced, but they have not been forces by violent
actions of other people
Internal Migration: a permanent move
with the country
• Much more numerous then international migrants because
distance is closer
2 types
1. Interregional migration: movement from one region of a
country to another
-
- historically: rural and urban
- today in some regions from urban to environmentally
attractive rural areas
First for better farmland
Lack of farmland pushed ppl to where land abundant
Then rural to urban for services
Ex. Large scale internal migration is opening of American west
2. Intraregional migration: movement within one
region
- mostly takes place in urban areas – older cities
to newer suburbs
- internal migration: less traumatic then
international because they find familiar language,
food, broadcasts, literature, music, and other
social customs
- tends to be shorter distance except in big
countries such as U.S.A. and Russia
International Migration Patterns
• 9% of the world’s population are international
migrants
• Largest flows
– From Asia to Europe
– From Asia to North America
– From Latin America to North America
• Shows importance of migration from
developing countries to developed countries
• Asia
• Latin America
• Africa
• North America
• Europe
• Oceania
Have net
out
migration
Have Net
In Migration
• U.S. has more foreign born residents then any
other country – approx. 43 million (2010)
• But…
• Canada and Australia have higher rates of net in
migration which are less populous then USA
• Highest rates of net-in = petroleum producing
exporting countries of Southwest Asia – attracts
immigrants from poorer countries in Asia perform
many of the dirty, dangerous functions in the oil
fields
U.S. migration Patterns
• World’s 3rd most populous country is inhabited by
direct decedents of immigrants
• 75 million have migrated to the U.S. between
1820-2010
• 3 main waves of immigration
• Colonial settlements 17th & 18th centuries
• Mass European immigration in the late 19th cent.
And early 20th cent.
• Asian and Latin American immigration in late 20th
and early 21st cent.
Where do people migrate with a
country?
• Internal migration less disruptive then
international migration
• Changing center of population: is the average
location of everyone in the country, the center
of population gravity
• Look at U.S. changing center of population
(look at your notes)
• Examples: Russia, and migration to other
countries
Intraregional migration
• Most people move with in same region
– Worldwide = rural to urban
– In the U.S. principle intraregional migration is from
cities to suburbs
• Migration from rural to urban areas
– Rural (nonmetropolitan) areas to urban
(metropolitan) began in the 1800s in Europe and
the U.S. as part of the Industrial Revolution
Migration from rural to urban areas
• Rural (nonmetropolitan) areas to urban
(metropolitan) began in the 1800s in Europe and the
U.S. as part of the Industrial Revolution
• Urbanization has diffused to developing countries in
Asia, Latin America, and Africa
• Ppl seeking economic advancements
• Pushed from rural areas by declining opportunities in
agriculture
• Pulled to cities by prospect of work in fact
– Ex. Lima, Peru = poor rural immigrants constructing ramshackle
housing in the hills of Lima
Migration from Urban to Suburban
Areas
• Happens in developed nations
• City population
, suburbs
Canada, Europe
• Why move to the suburbs?
this is US,
– Not jobs
– Suburbs offers opportunity to live in detached houses
with yards, garages, driveways, better and safer
schools, access to cars and trains
– Farms on the outskirts of the cities turn into suburbs
Migration from Urban to Rural
Areas
• Late 20th century in developed countries – 1st
time more ppl moved to rural areas then
emigrated out of them
• Counterubanization: net migration from urban to
rural areas
• Boundaries where suburbs end and rural begins –
not precisely defined
• Move from urban to rural for lifestyle regions
– Leave frantic pace of the cities, work in small town, on
farms, etc
• Counterubanization: happening primarily in
Rocky Mountain states – Colorado, Idaho,
Utah, Wyoming
– Rural counties = net-in migration
** Intraregional migration: has showed during the
early 21st cent. As a result of the severe recession
Refugees
• Forced political migration occurs b/c of political conflict
• The Unites Nations High Commission for Refugees
(UNHCR) recognizes 3 groups of forced political
migrants:
1. Refugee: forced to migrate to another country to avoid
the effects of armed conflicts, situations of generalized
violence, violations of human rights, or other disasters
and cannot return for fear of persecution based on
race, religion, nationality, memberships in a social
group, or political opinions
2. Internally displaced persons (IDP): has been
forced to migrate for similar political reasons as a
refugee but has not migrated across an
international boarders
3. Asylum seeker: someone who has migrated to
another country in hope of being recognized as a
refugee
UN= 10.6 million refugees; 14.7 million (IDR);
838,000 (Asylum seekers)
Largest number in 2010: Afghanistan and Iraq
received by Pakistan, Iran, Syria
The United Nations official definition of a refugee is a person that crosses an
international border but unofficially, most refugees are internally displaced
persons, or IDPs, and stay within their home country.
More Frontline videos to watch on refugee situations:
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/sudan/
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/rough/2008/10/rwanda_after_th.html
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/08/22/18299463.php
Podcast about Rebels in Darfur
Migrating to find Work
• Most ppl migrate for economic reasons
• Hard to distinguish between migrant seeking
economic opportunities and refugees
• It’s an important to distinguish b/c US, Canada,
and European Countries b/c there are different
groups
• Economic migrants not admitted unless they
possess a special skills or have a close relative
already there (but they must compete with other
applicants)
• Refugees receive special priority in admission
to other countries
• Migrants may be allowed to migrate
temporarily (Europe and Asia have these
programs)
• Guest worker
On your own:
• Read and take notes on Europe’s Migrant
workers and Asia’s migrant workers
• 15 minutes
Why do Migrants face obstacles?
• Intervening obstacles: an environmental or
political feature that hinders migration
– Historically : the expense of a long trip
– b/c of modern transpiration – environmental
factors no longer much of an obstacle
– Today: migrants face political obstacles – need a
passport to legally emigrate from a country and a
visa to legally immigrate to a country
Controlling Migration
• Most countries have adopted selective
immigration policies that admit some types
but not others
2 reasons Visas are granted:
1. Specific employment placement
2. Family reunification
U.S. Quota Laws
• Homework….
Brain Drain
• Large scale immigration by talented people
caused by giving immigration preference to
skilled workers
• Examples: scientists, researchers, doctors, and
other professionals migrate to countries
where they make better use of their abilities
• Asians take adv. of priorities set by US quota
laws
Human Capital Theory of Migration
• States that educated workers often migrate
from poor countries to wealthy countries
seeking better paying jobs
Forms of Migration
Forms of Migration
Definition/ Description
Example
Step Migration
Series of small movies to
reach destination
Rural to big city by moving
to a village, small town,
larger town, and then big
city
Chain Migration
Part of a migrant flow that
follows former migrants to
an area
Turkey to ethnic enclave in
Berlin, Germany
Counter or Return
Migration
Generally, about 25% will
return to home area
eventually
Ohio to West Virginia
Channel migration
Repetitive pattern of
migration not linked to
family or ethnicity
Retired persons to Arizona
and Florida
Worldwide migration to the U.S.
Most documented immigrants to the U.S.: Mexico
Most undocumented immigrants to the U.S.: Mexico
1980s-present most immigrants come from Latin America
Illegal immigration from Mexico to the
United States.
Short video resources about Mexican immigration to the U.S.
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/mexico/
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/watch/player.html?pkg=704_cri
mes&seg=1&mod=0
Example of Chinese international migration in
Southeast Asia
Post-1945 External Migrations
• Flow of Jewish immigrants to
Israel
– Palestine, 1900 vs. 1948
– Formation of Israel
– Now a flashpoints
http://www.migrationinformation.org/