Unit 4: Migration Flashcards
please let this not be the only easy one
Definition of migration and circulatory movement
The movement of people across a specific boundary, national or international, to establish a new permanent place of residence
The UN defines this as lasting for at least a year
Any movement of residence for less than a year are classed as circulatory movements
Demographic variables of migration
Migration is more volatile and unpredictable than fertility and mortality
It can alter quickly as a result of changing economic, political, social and environmental circumstances
Migration may not occur if the desire to move is overcome by the magnitude of constraints
Internal migration
Internal migrants move within the frontiers of one nation
International migration
International migrants cross international boundaries
Immigration
The movement of persons into a new country with the intention to reside in that country
Emigration
The act of leaving ones own country to settle permanently in another, moving abroad
In-migration
People moving into another area within their own country
Out-migration
The process of people moving out of an area in their country to move to another area in their country permanently
Net migration
The number of migrants entering a region or country-the number of migrants who leave the same region or country
Origin
Migrations are embarked upon from an area of origin
Destination
Migrations are completed at an area of destination
Migration stream
Migrants sharing a common origin and destination form a migration stream
Counterstream
For every migration stream, a counterstream or reverse flow at a lower volume usually results as some migrants dissatisfied with their destination return home
Push factors definition
The observations that are negative about an area in which the individual is presently living
Pull factors definition
The perceived better conditions in the place to which the pigrant wishes to go
Chain migration
Once strong links between a rural and an urban area are established, the phenomenon of chain migration frequently results
Relay migration
After one or a small number of pioneering migrants have led the way, others from the same rural community follow. In some communities, relay migration has been identified where at different stages in a family’s life cycle different people take responsibility for migration in order to improve the financial position of a family
Stepped migration
Where the rural migrant initially heads for a familiar small town and then after a period of time moves on to a larger urban settlement
Urban hierarchy
Over many years, the migrant may take a number of steps up the urban hierarchy
Voluntary migration
Where the individual or household has a free choice about whether or not to move
Forced migration
Occurs when the individual or household has little or no choice but to move. This may be due to environmental or human factors
Push factors
Intolerance
Poor employment
Low income
Housing shortages
Social upheaval
Natural disasters
Adverse climatic conditions
Pull factors
Job prospects
High wages
Improved housing
Tolerance
High standard of living
Attractive environment
Amenities
Historical theories
Migration can take many forms and the causes and processes can be very complex. There have been attempts to classify migration types and explain the factors at work and likely outcomes
Ravensteins law of migration
He attempted to explain the movement of people without regard to a particular group or location. His work though was largely based on his experiences of migration in Great Britain during his lifetime
Ravensteins characteristics of migration
The greatest body of migrants travel short distances
This produces currents directed towards great commercial centres
Each current has a compensating counter-current in the opposite direction
Both currents display similar characteristics
Long distance movements are directed towards great commercial centres
People in urban areas migrate less than people in rural areas
Males migrate more over long distances and females migrate more over short distances
Most migrants are between 20-34 years old
People mainly move for economic reasons
Urban housing development is inadequate for the influx of migrants so ghettos/shanties are formed
Stouffer-gravitational model
Migrants might settle for a location other than their intended destination. The number of persons going a given distance is directly proportional to the number of opportunities at that distance and inversely proportional to the number of intervening opportunities
Lee’s push and pull model
Introduced the idea of intervening obstacles. He also stated that each individual might view the attributes of both the source and destination city differently depending on their age, gender, class and martial status
Petersons 5 types of migration
Primitive: The movements of nomadic pastoralists and that of shifting cultivators. Availability of rainfall and fertility of soils being the main determinants of migration patterns
Impelled: Takes under threat or perceived threat (physical or human). Country’s likely to be affected have procedures to move people out if it occurs
Forced: Similar to impelled but without lack of choice. Physical events also cause this
Free: Distinction between free and mass is only of numbers
Mass
Each is then divided into conservative and innovative
Conservative=preserving a certain standard of living
Innovative=improving standard of living
Mabogunje migration framework
Further explored push and pull factors to explain rural-urban migration in Africa. Not just cause and effect in the model. Includes feedback and modifications and actions and reactions between urban and rural areas. The model takes into consideration both economic and social factors and the environment of change within the continent. Is a system where there is interdependence and self-regulation and modification. Continuous action and reaction so urban economic expansion will stimulate migration from villages close to urban areas while a decline in the economy will reduce these flows of migrant labour and may lead to a reversal of the flow. Adjustments in the source region are important. Fewer agricultural workers as a result of the out-migration may lead to an increase in income per person for those still in the rural economy. These remaining families may benefit from money sent back to the village as remittances. It is possible that the new urban arrivals will use any increase sin income to spend on their new homes
Byerlee, todaro and stark
Byerlee uses a cost-benefit model by which he considers migration as the outcome of this. He suggests that the decision to migrate will be taken when the benefit exceeds the costs. This was persued by Todaro. Migrants usually are well informed as to what to expect when they arrive as there is a flow of information back to the source region from earlier migrants. They may not find employment immediately, but are prepared to stay rather than return to the country. If they are successful in finding work the financial rewards are higher than at home. Stark suggested that families decide to migrate to improve economic status. One family member migrates, sends money home and if migration is economically successful, other member will follow
Marxist theory
Sees labour migration as an inevitable process as economies move towards a capitalist model and workers become divorced from the land. Migration is essential for capitalist production which is located in urban areas, encouraging mass rural to urban movements of people. Globally migration is sometimes seen as a way of capitalist HIC’s to exploit LIC’s. According to Rubenstein remittances are a ‘minor component of surplus labour extraction, a small change to capital in a grossly unequal process of exchange between core and peripheral societies’
Structuration theory
Includes individual motives and those structural and cultural factors that influence migrants. It stresses that rules designed to regulate behaviour also provide opportunity and room for maneuver for those they seek to restrain
Gender analysis
Significant area of research in recent years. Examines the different approaches to migration by men and women. According to Arjan de Haan ‘there is now much more emphasis on the different migration responses by women and men which themselves are context dependent and on gender discrimination in returns to migrant labour’
Age analysis
Mainly working age since migration is mainly for employment opportunities. Elderly more likely to live in rural areas not close to work. Younger usually live in urban areas or move for university
Internal vs international barriers
The largest barriers to migration are different depending on the type of migration
Internal = cost and distance
International = immigration laws
Cost of migration
Closing up costs
Actual transportation costs
Opening up costs
Distance and landscape
Human danger along borders
Government immigration laows
Skills required for visas
Legal barriers to migration
Over time governments have generally tightened immigration laws and make it harder for people to migrate internationally. Most countries favour immigration applications from people with skills that are in short supply and from people that intend to set up businesses and create employment
Periods of migration laws
Before 1914 government controls were almost non-existant. Obstacles to migration at the time were costs and any physical dangers that might be associated with the journey.
Reflecting security concerns it was curtailed in 1914-1945. Many perused policies that would be classed as overtly racist
After 1945 many European countries facing labour shortages encouraged migrants. Legislation was not repealed but interpreted very liberally
In the 1970’s slow economic growth and rising unemployment in HIC’s led to a tightening of policy that has remained. In some countries immigration did increase again in the 1980’s and early 1990’s spurring the introduction of new restrictions
Migration data
Having access to data is increasingly important for countries who want t monitor patterns and introduce new legislation to control migration
Most estimate that migrant numbers are often underestimated by authorities. There are 3 sources of data: Censuses, population registers and social surveys. For all, moves are recorded as migration when an official boundary is crossed. Moves that don’t cross a boundary may not be recorded even if over longer distances
Population censuses
Taken at regular intervals and cover whole countries. The data is birthplaces of the population and period migration figures. With birthplace, gives a broad picture. No information about the number of residential moves between place of birth and present residence. In period migration, British censuses have asked for a place of residence a year before as well as a place of birth. When compared with present addresses at the time of census, migration patterns can be traces. Intervening moves during the 1 year period and between censusus are unrecorded
Population registers
Inhabitants register an address with the police or civil authority and notify of all changes of residence. Aim to record every move rather than those just caught by the period framework of censuses. In the UK only partial registers exist to record movements for some parts of the population. Social researchers have argues for the introduction of population register in these countries by opposition has focusses on possible infringement of individual liberties
Social surveys
Can supplement other data sources. Some are to provide information on tourism and the efect of travel expenditure on the balance of payments but also provides useful information on international migration. The annual General Household Survey of 15000 households and the Labour Force Survey provide useful information. Questionnaire surveys are the means by which the relationship between attitudes and behaviour in migration can by fully analysed
Internal migration
Movement of people within a country. If this is forced migration the migrants are Internally Displaced People or IDP’s
Distance spatial dimensions
Intra-national
Local
Intra-district
Inter-district
Intra-provincial
Inter-provincial
Intra-regional
Inter-regional
LEDC-LEDC
LEDC-MEDC
Direction spatial dimensions
Rural-rural
Rural-urban
Urban-rural
Urban-urban
Periphery-core
Core-periphery
Traditional-modern spheres
Patterns of spatial dimensions
Step migration
Migration stream
Counter stream
The role of distance
Levels of migration tend to decrease with increased distance (inversely proportional). Distance is often linked to cost. Travelling further usually costs more. Poorer migrants are more likely to go to a destination closer to their origin. The further they travel, the more barriers and constraints there are
Direction
Most common movement types are rural to urban in LEDC’s and peripheral economic regions to core regions. These both result in movements from culturally traditional and often tighter small communities to larger, more diverse, more globalised and rapidly changing environments