Migration Flashcards
What are the scales of migration?
International, internal, local
Forced migration
The migrant has to migrate because of circumstances
International migration
The UN defined this as the movement of people across national frontiers, for a minimum of year 1
Migration
A permanent or semi-permanent change of residence of an individual or group of people
Net migration
Immigration-emigration for an area
Rural-Urban migration
The movement of people from a rural area to an urban area
Urban-Rural migration
The movement of people from an urban area to a rural
Voluntary migration
The migrant makes the decision to migrate
Distance decay
The further from the source region you go the less migrants from that region there will be
Refugee
Defined by the UN as persons unable or unwilling to return to their homeland for fear of persecution, based on reasons of race, religion, ethnicity or political opinion, or those who have been displaced forcibly by other factors.
Causes of refugee migration
Often war
Such migrations are often temporary, after the event which catalysed the migration has ended the migrants return to their former homes
Recent examples of refugee migration
1) 2 million from Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia as a result of famine and civil war
2) 6 million from Mozambique as a result of civil war, famine and flooding
3) 1 million Kurds from northern Iraq, fleeing flooding
4) 1 million Afghans into neighbouring Pakistan fleeing civil strife and war
5) 100,000 Tamils fleeing oppression and civil war in Sri Lanka
6) 7000 montserrations fleeing the Soufrière hills volcanic eruption
Asylum seekers
‘The formal application by a refugee to reside in a country when they arrive in that country.’ The numbers seeking asylum have increased steadily in recent years as countries seek to curtail immigration
Social effects of migration on the area of origin
Marriage rates fall
Family structures breakdown
Departure of males and young families may lead to a loss of cultural leadership
Economic effects of migration on the area of origin
Those with skills and education leave causing a labour shortage
Reduced pressure on resources e.g. Farmland
Area benefits from remittances
Migrants may return with new skills
Farming declines and land is abandoned
Social Effects of migration on the area of destination
Marriage rates rise
Arrival of new groups can cause friction
Social tensions may increase
New food, music and clothes introduced to the area
Economic Issues migration causes for the area of origin
- Loss of young adult workforce
- Loss of those with entrepreneurial skills- can slow economic development
- loss of labour may put off inward investment
Economic benefits created by migration for the source area
Reduce underemployment
Returning migrants being new skills- can help revitalise the economy
Remittances which can be invested in new services etc
Less pressure on resources e.g. Health care and food
Social issues of migration for the source area
- Many people from the same generate migrating can lead to a ‘lost generation’ this has a negative effect on social structure
- greater proportion of females left behind, imbalance in population pyramid, long term consequences
Social benefits of migration for the source area
- Population density decreases as does BR
- Remittances help improve services such as education and health
- Returning returned migrants increase demand for improved services e.g. Better leisure facilities
Economic issues of migration for the destination area
- cost of educating migrants children
- over-dependence of some industries on migrants
- much of the money earned is put towards remittances
- increased pressure on resources and services e.g. Education and health
Economic benefits of migration for the destination area
- economic migrants take up less desirable jobs
- host area gains skilled labour at a reduced cost
- ‘skills gap’ may be filled by migrant workers
- costs of retirement transferred back to source area
Social issues of migration for the destination area
- Dominance of males is reinforced especially in countries where the status of women is low e.g. Th gulf states
- Aspects of cultural identity are lost esp. among 2nd gen migrants
- segregated areas for similar ethnic groups and schools are dominated by migrant children
Social benefits of migration for the destination area
- Creation of multiethnic and multicultural society which increases the understanding of other cultures
- An influx of new providers of social services
- Growth of ethnic retailing and areas associated with ethnic food outlets
