Lecture 12-14 Flashcards
What is the primary driver of international migration according to the macro theory of Neoclassical Economics?
Wage differentials between countries. People migrate from low-wage to high-wage countries until wage differences disappear.
According to micro theory, when do individuals decide to migrate?
Individuals migrate when the benefits (e.g., higher wages) outweigh the costs (e.g., travel expenses, risk, adaptation).
What is one policy that could reduce migration according to the micro theory of Neoclassical Economics?
Raising incomes in the origin country through long-term development programs.
in New Economics of Labor Migration (NELM), why do families or households migrate, even without wage differentials?
They migrate to diversify risks, especially when other markets (like credit or insurance) are absent or imperfect in the sending country.
According to dual labor market theory, what is the primary reason for international migration?
Migration is demand-based, initiated by employers in developed countries who need labor for low-wage jobs that locals are unwilling to fill.
What does World System Theory argue about the relationship between global capitalism and international migration?
As capitalism (the global market) expands, it penetrates peripheral (less-developed) regions, influencing their economic systems. These regions become integrated into the global economy by supplying raw materials, labor, or goods to core (more-developed) countries. As the global market grows, people in peripheral regions may move to core countries in search of better economic opportunities, jobs, and living conditions, driven by the demands of global capitalism.
How do migrant networks influence international migration?
Migrant networks reduce the costs and risks of migration, making it more likely for individuals related to migrants to move, and these networks expand over time.
What is the key idea behind cumulative causation in migration?
Migration creates conditions that increase the likelihood of further migration, such as changes in social and cultural norms, economic opportunities, and relative deprivation.
How does migration lead to the depletion of human capital in the sending region, according to cumulative causation?
Cumulative causation shows that migration is not just a short-term phenomenon—it can create long-term patterns where the sending region’s economy becomes dependent on outmigration and the inflow of remittances. The depletion of human capital (the loss of skilled workers) leads to a stagnant economy, which further encourages more migration, perpetuating the cycle.
What is the concept of “bare life” in the context of Saskia Sassen’s theory of migration?
“Bare life” refers to people who are forced into survival mode due to extreme violence, displacement, or exploitation, losing their rights and humanity in the process.
According to Saskia Sassen, what are some of the key reasons behind new migration flows?
New migration flows are driven by extreme violence, environmental destruction (the loss of life-supporting habitats), financialization (decisions are driven more by profit-making than by people’s well-being), Primitive accumulation (land and resources are forcibly taken from communities to be used for capital accumulation)
What does Sassen mean when she says “there is no ‘home’ left to return to” for many migrants today?
Sassen suggests that for many migrants, their home countries have been destroyed by violence, environmental degradation, or capitalist exploitation, leaving them with no place to return to.
What is the impact of capitalist market formation on migration, according to Saskia Sassen’s analysis?
The penetration of the global economy into peripheral regions leads to the displacement of local populations, pushing them to migrate to core countries for survival.
How does debt servicing impact developing countries, particularly in terms of social spending?
Because of the debt burden, these countries must divert money from other crucial areas, such as healthcare, education, and public services, to meet their debt obligations. Social programs (such as education and healthcare) are often the first to be cut to free up resources for debt repayment. This affects vulnerable populations, especially women and children, who rely more heavily on public services.
What are the long-term consequences of debt burdens on developing countries?
Debt burdens trap countries in a cycle of repayment, often leading to unfavorable deals with global corporations, destruction of traditional economies, and forcing people to find survival options like subsistence farming, informal work, or emigration. This creates a “survival economy” where people are forced into risky, unstable, or unhealthy ways of making a living because the state is unable to support them properly due to the debt burden.
What is the “migration hump” concept?
The idea that economic growth following trade liberalization, foreign direct investment, or aid is likely to lead to more migration in the short to medium term before eventually subsiding.
What are some of the main strategies used in restrictive migration policies?
Deterrent policies (to discourage people from migrating) : Restrictive migration policies include intensified border controls, carrier sanctions, return migration policies, detention centers, and deportation.
What is the paradox of restrictive migration policies in terms of migrant settlement?
The paradox is that restrictive policies meant to prevent migrants from becoming citizens often force them to settle illegally, as they still need to work, which increases the likelihood of undocumented migration.
What is the “migrant syndrome” perspective on the question of can migration bring development? So Kinda the critiques of neoclassical economics
So economic stagnation and dependency, neglect traditional economies (depletion of labour force), national cost (brain drain), brain waste (educated people working jobs they are overqualified for). Bring foreign products (devalue local economy even more). Rises inequalities: people who can’t afford migrating stay even poorer than their neighbors that get remittances.
what is antropocene?
Era of accelarating human-made ecological changes. The term suggests that human activity (esp. industrialization deforestation pollution and climate change) has altered the planet so significantly that it marks a new era in earth’s history
How much has the global temperature risen since pre-industrial times due to human activity?
Over 1°C.
What is the global goal for limiting temperature increase according to international agreements?
To keep global temperatures “well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C.”
What are some consequences of sea-level rise?
Loss of coastal land, displacement of populations, threats to agricultural productivity in low-lying areas, and risks to major coastal cities.
