Migration Types, Causes, Patterns and Barriers Flashcards
The decision to migrate is made in the source area so people’s knowledge of the push factors is always more accurate than their knowledge of the pull factors (which depends on information received from the media or from relatives or friends who have already moved there).
True or False
True
The barriers to migration which affect a person’s decision to move are also known as what?
Obstacles
Name as many push factors as you can
Low wages
lack of job opportunities (only unskilled jobs available)
lack of access to amenities such as schools and hospitals
poor quality of life e.g. poor housing
conflict, war and/or political oppression
persecution of minority groups within society
natural hazards e.g. volcano or drought
Name as many pull factors as you can
High wages, improved standard of living.
More job opportunities (better jobs available)
Better amenities and services
Improved quality of life
Freedom from oppression
Tolerance of other people’s views, opinions and attitudes
Better environment, no natural hazards etc.
What happened during the cold war that acted as a barrier to migration?
Communist regime in Eastern Europe imposed restrictions on emigration.
The Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 to stop huge flows of people escaping East Germany to live in the West.
What happened in China that acted as a barrier to migration?
The system of hukou was enforced until recently.
This was a population register that defended an individual as either a rural or urban dweller.
Permission was required of a person wanted to change their status and permission was often denied for rural to urban migrants.
Only if they had a job and house in an urban area was permission granted.
This is partially how the Chinese avoided shanty town development.
What happened in North Korea that acted as a barrier to migration?
N. Korea imposes strict migration controls on the entries and exits of its citizens and foreigners.
Despite signing the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights in 1981, N. Korea does not uphold Article 12(2), which states “Everyone shall be free to leave any country including his own.”
N. Korea regards unauthorized departure as an act of treason and people are detained in political penal-labor colonies for between 2 and 7 years.
Suggest the factors that influence a person’s decision whether or not to migrate. [7]
Indicative content: push factors and pull factors; constraints, obstacles and barriers; personal factors that influence how a person perceives the attributes of the place of origin and destination – age, gender, marital status, socio-economic group, level of education; character – attitude to risk, desire for change, susceptibility to pressure from others.
Briefly explain the role of pull factors in economic migration. [6]
Credit the definition of pull factors as those things (real or perceived) in a destination that attract migrants. In economic migration, the pull factors are primarily economic, e.g. more and better job opportunities, higher or more secure wages, a stronger economy at a time of recession, etc. Other pull factors are, however, important such as the existence of social networks (family members, friends, colleagues) to help migrants on arrival; or government promotion of opportunities (e.g. Germany, Singapore) to attract the labour and skills needed.
How might a migrant chose to move?
There are several possible destinations that a migrant may choose to move to.
They may choose to move in steps (not all the possible steps are shown in the figure).
How does age influence international economic migration?
Generally the case that international migrants are younger adults, e.g. can be over 80% under 45 ; older adults are less likely to migrate e.g. only 4% over 60; around 20% can be under 16; age/stage of life cycle therefore an important influence.
Young adults more migratory (seeking work, fewer ties or family breadwinner), children migrate with parents, more complex family ties with age and elderly and retired family members are least migratory.
How does gender influence international economic migration?
Generally believed that more international migrants are males (migration theory – men more migratory over longer distances, women more migratory over shorter distances)
More males from some LICs as males are more mobile and it is mainly men who seek work outside the home – females may not be allowed to travel alone or they may not wish to/find it difficult to travel with young children
Could be argued that men are greater risk takers, particularly young unmarried men.
However, not always the case that most international economic Migrants are men – there is female migration for those jobs traditionally done by women e.g. in caring professions; men may migrate first then be joined by their wives and children later
Gender is an important influence on the likelihood to migrate – could be argued that it is becoming less so.
