human case studies

Question 1

USA - patterns of emigration and immigration

Answer 1

2013 - 41.3 million immgrants - 13% of total population coming from mexico, india, china etc
2013 - 2.98 million US citizens living abroad

Question 2

attractiveness of usa for migrants

Answer 2

positive immigration policy and possibility of obtaining a green card
employment opportunities
wage differentials and opportunity to send remittances
educational opportunities and access to other services such as healthcare
policys on refugees and family reunification

Question 3

migration policies - usa

Answer 3

reunification of families - 480,000 visas are available per year for families to join US citizens
admission of skilled workers - 140,000 visas
protecting refugees
promoting diversity - 50,000 immigrant visas drawn by random selection of individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the usa
humanitarian relief - temporary visas for relief from natural disasters or ongoing armed conflict

Question 4

interdependence between usa and mexico

Answer 4

is a bilateral migrant corridor - 2013 - over 11.5 million mexicans lived in us and 1 million americans lived in mexico

low skilled mexicans contribute to the us economy by working in agriculture, construction and low paid services - higher wages allows for remmittances - 2013 - 2% of mexicos gdp

NAFTA - trade between the countries - merchandise trade alone accounts for $1.4 billion per day.

Question 5

opportunities created by international migration to the us

Answer 5

immigrant population take many of the low paid jobs that native born americans do not want - 2013 mexican immigrants worked in services, construction, transport etc - provides significant contributions to gdp

us immigration policy aims to attract highly skilled and well qualified people - ‘persons of extraordinary ability’ - eg main employment from migrants from india - 73% in business and science

most immigrants are young - helps with birth rate and ageing population

immigrants are consumers

Question 6

challenges of migration - usa

Answer 6

estimated 11.5 million illlegal immigrants live in us

uneven progress integrating immigrant groups into us society

where immigrant populations are concentrated, resources and services can become an issue eg - adding to demand for water supply in southeren california

Question 7

patterns of immigration and emigration - laos

Answer 7

2013 - 1.29 million emigrants lived abroad - thailand

20,000 immigrants to laos - vietnam

Question 8

emigration to thailand from laos

Answer 8

insufficient land available for farming and periodic droughts which lead to food insecurity

strong motivation to follow others who have returned from financially successful migrations

daily minimum wage in thailand is 300 baht compared to 80 baht in laos

for many families in laos - migrant remittances are the main source of income

familiarity with thai culture and language

llow levels of education means people are unskilled - high demand for unskilled labour in laos

Question 9

immigration to laos

Answer 9

employment opportunities by government strategies for construction

Question 10

migration policy - laos

Answer 10

laos is a source country for human trafficking - 2013 - 36% of populations under 15 - these go into workforce where there are little jobs so move to thailand
government policies to prevent this have generally been ineffective

x - government work in cooperation with UN agencies like UNICEF to implement stricter anti-trafficking policy

part of ASEAN - ASEAN economic community aims to allow freer movement of skilled labour

Question 11

interdependence between laos and thailand

Answer 11

outward flow of unskilled workers - help thailand in construction, agriculture and factory work - in turn helps laos through remittances

laos - thailand cooperation committee has been established strengthening communication and trade

thailand has funded a large health service development and drugs treatment centre in laos

laos and thailand work together as members pf the mekong river commission to manage flooding

laos signed agreements to build rail links between thailand and vietnam including link to china - helps laos development

Question 12

opportunities from migration - laos

Answer 12

migration corridor helped to stimulate political and economic cooperation in termms of trade, investment, development projects and security

economic cooperation with vietnam in over 400 investment project in laos

migrant remittances - laos - 22% of families live below poverty line

Question 13

challenges from migration - laos

Answer 13

many migrants are under 18 - vulnerable to human trafficking, forced labour and exploitation - policy implemented is unsuccessful so therefore has to rely on transnational governance

loss of skilled labour such as carpenters and nechanics to thailand

laos garment industry is largest sector of manufacturing employment but its growth depends on improved working conditions andd the retention of many young female workers who may leave seeking higher wages un thailand

Question 14

patterns of emigration and immigration in brazil

Answer 14

a net migration loss of half a million in each of the four year periods 2000-04 and 2005-09 but this slowed to 190,000 between 2010 and 2014

Question 15

brazils link to portugal

Answer 15

have a longstanding bilateral relationship on political, social and economic basis

brazil was aformer colony of portugal nad today the protuguese governemnt gives special status to brazilian migrants

economic migrants - portugal is a gateway entrace to EU

shared alnguage and culture makes it easier

migrant remmittances

Question 16

brazil and usa

Answer 16

low skilled economic migrants are able to remit significant amounts back to brazil

returning migrants have acquired skiills and knowledge

the usa has negotiated agreements with brazil regarding agriculture, trade, finance, education and defence - USAID gives support to brazil in many environmental projects - training xavnate indigenous people to protect tribal lnads from forest fires, assisting the brazilian government in designing and implementing laws concerning forest governance and sustainable forest management

Question 17

brazil links to haiti

Answer 17

national immigration council for brazil enables haitian immigrants to obtain visas and therby reduce their risk of human trafficking

Question 18

economic development in brazil

Answer 18

waves of immigration in different pperiods from japan, portugal and other european countries have contributed to the growth in agriculture and manufacturing sectors

recent arrivals of highly skilled professionals with employment contracts have contrbuted to entrepreneurship, innovation and reducing gaps in the labour market

emigration to the usa, japn, portugal and other european countries have resulted in migrant remittances to brazil, ised by families in housing improvements, education and general consumption which has contributed to development at all scales

Question 19

political stability in brazil

Answer 19

membership of Mercosur, primarily a trading bloc in which there is free flow of trade, capital and labour migration has helped south american integration and promotion of political stability

there are stable political relationships between brazil and the countries it has significant bilateral migrant flows with

important reciever of environmental and political refugees and as a stable government accepts responsibility for their weifare and employment prospects by providing visas and work permits

Question 20

social equality in brazil

Answer 20

according to UNESCO there are inequalities in brazilian society between ethnic groups through housing, access to services, educational attainment and income - brazilians of african descent are most affected.

inequalities have spaptial perspective with poverty concentrated in rural areas or in the favelas where the poor migrate

there is prejudice and discrimination in the labour market, especially against balck and indigenous populations and this impedes their full economic political and social development