W2- Theories of Migration Flashcards
List the Functionalist theories
List the structural
FUNTIONALIST
new economies of labour
human capital theory
neoclassical theory of migration
STRUCTURALIST
network theory
world systems theory/dependency theory
Explain human capital theory
an individual migrates as a form of investment. Humans are rational so they will migrate if they see it as a valuable investment
invest in migration like they do in education
helps to explain selectivity of migration –> why some people migration and others don’t (based on whether migrating is a valid form of investment)
critique: does not account for other decisions to migrate
Explain neoclassical theory of migration
migration is dependent upon the discrepancy between the wage differences and economic opportunities inc (un) employment of origin/destination country. If the wage differentials aren’t favourable, they won’t migrate
critique:
doesn’t account for agency
doesn’t explain why people don’t migrate
assumes individual is main decision making unit (not applicable for new economies theory)
explain new economies of labour
household is the decision unit to migrate
migration as investment to household
same critiques as Neo-classical
Explain structuralist theory (dependency/world systems)
migration is part of a broader historical context and history of relations between countries
migration as manifestation of capitalism, imperialism colonialism
states and coroportariton are migration drivers in their own right
migration is used to facilitate cheap labour that boost profits
systems theory- periphery countries are allowed into the economy by the core countries
Network theory
people migrate in chains (family connections, organised crime, nationality, diasporas)
why purposes do migrate categories serve?
analytical
administrative
discursive
Migration drivers (micro/macro)
macro- economy
micro- individual agencies
I add: miso family households and communities
Roy Borjas model of immigration selection and critique
migrants are a self selected groups that make them more ambitious than their fellow citizens
self selection dependent upon discrepancy of wages in origin/destination countries
positive selection (by state)- high skilled migrants bring more money into country
negative selection- employing low skilled migrants who thus, increase skill set.
theory assuming mig costs are proportional to wages
Critiques:
neglects social networks
low skilled migrants going to high skilled migrant areas aggregates welfare
wrongly assumes that mig costs are proportional to wages (Ermal friend being sponsored cost money, but is low skill job)
Welfare magnet hypothesis
when there are more provisions provided by the welfare state, migration is higher
–> this migration comes from low skilled workers because they are more likely to use provisions
–> BUT the empirical evidence is mixed…theory doesn’t account for other migration drivers besides labour
Dual labour market theory
migration as a result of chronic demand for low skilled work in advanced economies
- theory challenges the idea that wealthy countries need high skilled migrants
- migrants do not want dangerous, filthy jobs, and they can afford to turn them down SO there is a paradox: high immigration even at times where there is high unemployment (because there are more jobs available, migrant has more control over what job they take as less desperate, so some low skilled jobs don’t get filled)
describe the relationship between state policies and migration
states put in policies to attract certain types of migrants e.g. seasonal working contracts (low skilled), low tax rates for wealthy (high skilled)
IMPORTANT: don’t overstate the impact of these policies on migration (there are other drivers)
What are the main points in Alves and King article Student Mobilities
5.3 million students studying abroad
3 factors to conifer: distance, duration and purpose
a year abroad is not student mobility, its called credit exchange
student mobility –> status switching e.g. by staying in host country after graduating
International student is not a homogenous category- many different types of students abroad based on 3 factors (dip)
students often move to a county that is close to home. If applicable they often travel to country more developed (alibi –> uk)
- gender has a role–> men expected to return, women get lost to another family (or they also migrate to escape patriarchy) this is there case with albania! (overall men more encouraged to migrate though)
migration also popular for students as it gives higher levels of cultural exposure which makes you more employable (that is the belief)
–> more research needs to be done on gender and student migration
-important: don’t take stats on student mobility at face value as it glosses over a multitude of other reasons for why students migrate (e.g. family culture)
