Migration and Development
Lecture 1: Introduction (31-08-26)
Framing
Opened with Vito Corleone arriving in America. Migration is about personal stories, it goes
beyond push factors: search for a better place, economic opportunity, fleeing conflict or being
forced out, plus social environment, integration and self-realization.
It also has regional implications: economic, social and political.
Improved transport and digital globalization have made migration easier.
Course questions: what are the drivers, what is the impact, what are the myths and what are the
facts.
Learning outcomes
• Contextualize global migration against socio-economic and political developments.
• Give an overview of the main theoretical perspectives in migration studies.
• Summarize migration theories, apply them in a research setting and test expectations
against empirical material.
• Discuss the main trends in migration.
• Explain the relationship between migration and economic outcomes, especially labour
market outcomes, at regional and individual level.
• Explain the relationship between migration and socio-cultural outcomes such as
inclusion and exclusion, at regional and individual level.
Concept 1: relocation and migration
Relocation is the umbrella term. Within it: residential mobility (a move that does not change
your daily activity space, so not migration) and migration (a move that does). Migration then
splits into internal (within a country) and international (across a border).
Theoretical definition: a move involving a major change in Daily Activity Space (DAS). DAS is the
area in which someone performs daily activities, the most important being work or education. It
differs per individual and household.
IOM definition: movement of persons away from their place of usual residence, either across an
international border or within a State.
There are theoretical definitions and empirical definitions (what statistical agencies actually
measure, for example registration in another municipality). The two do not overlap perfectly.
Internal migration is much larger in volume than international migration. Sources: Abel and
Cohen (2022), World Migration Report (McAuliffe and Ceriani Cernadas, 2026).
, Migration and Development
Concept 2: development
• Individual level.
• Local and regional economic development.
• National and global development, measured with the UN Human Development Index
(life expectancy, education, income, so broader than GDP).
The four perspectives in this course
Economic and economic geography (Ballas, Venhorst): human capital and labour market factors
behind individual migration decisions, utility and happiness. What are the individual
consequences of migration, what are the regional and local economic impacts, what are the
national and macro level impacts.
Population studies (Mulder): migration as an event in the life course. Macro level is how flows
affect the size and composition of a population. Micro level explains why migration events occur
in individual life courses (who, under which circumstances) and identifies consequences. Meso
level explains migration in the context of households and families.
Migration in population history (Remund): historical patterns.
Development studies (Adaawen): global development, the Africa lectures.
The macro, meso and micro split returns in almost every later lecture, so learn it as a framework
rather than three separate words.
Assessment
• Midterm 29 September, 50%. Covers economic geography and migration and
development perspectives (Ballas, Adaawen, Venhorst).
• Final exam 27 October, 50%. Covers all demography perspectives (Ziogas, Remund,
Adaawen, Mulder).
• Pass mark 5.5 as the average of both. Format is a mix of multiple choice, short answer
and open ended, two hours, digital.
• Resit 26 January 2027 covers the entire course, not just the failed part. A mock exam is
provided.
• Weekly group assignments, six in total, Wednesday 12:00, pass or fail. You need at
least five out of six to pass the course.
• Failed or late assignments can be resubmitted once until a pass, hard deadline end of
week 7. Not meeting this before the resit means you do not pass.
• Repeaters redo the whole course, assignments cannot be transferred.
• You can submit topics or questions for the lecture on Brightspace under
Communication, Discussions, before 8:00 on the morning of class.
Lecture 1: Introduction (31-08-26)
Framing
Opened with Vito Corleone arriving in America. Migration is about personal stories, it goes
beyond push factors: search for a better place, economic opportunity, fleeing conflict or being
forced out, plus social environment, integration and self-realization.
It also has regional implications: economic, social and political.
Improved transport and digital globalization have made migration easier.
Course questions: what are the drivers, what is the impact, what are the myths and what are the
facts.
Learning outcomes
• Contextualize global migration against socio-economic and political developments.
• Give an overview of the main theoretical perspectives in migration studies.
• Summarize migration theories, apply them in a research setting and test expectations
against empirical material.
• Discuss the main trends in migration.
• Explain the relationship between migration and economic outcomes, especially labour
market outcomes, at regional and individual level.
• Explain the relationship between migration and socio-cultural outcomes such as
inclusion and exclusion, at regional and individual level.
Concept 1: relocation and migration
Relocation is the umbrella term. Within it: residential mobility (a move that does not change
your daily activity space, so not migration) and migration (a move that does). Migration then
splits into internal (within a country) and international (across a border).
Theoretical definition: a move involving a major change in Daily Activity Space (DAS). DAS is the
area in which someone performs daily activities, the most important being work or education. It
differs per individual and household.
IOM definition: movement of persons away from their place of usual residence, either across an
international border or within a State.
There are theoretical definitions and empirical definitions (what statistical agencies actually
measure, for example registration in another municipality). The two do not overlap perfectly.
Internal migration is much larger in volume than international migration. Sources: Abel and
Cohen (2022), World Migration Report (McAuliffe and Ceriani Cernadas, 2026).
, Migration and Development
Concept 2: development
• Individual level.
• Local and regional economic development.
• National and global development, measured with the UN Human Development Index
(life expectancy, education, income, so broader than GDP).
The four perspectives in this course
Economic and economic geography (Ballas, Venhorst): human capital and labour market factors
behind individual migration decisions, utility and happiness. What are the individual
consequences of migration, what are the regional and local economic impacts, what are the
national and macro level impacts.
Population studies (Mulder): migration as an event in the life course. Macro level is how flows
affect the size and composition of a population. Micro level explains why migration events occur
in individual life courses (who, under which circumstances) and identifies consequences. Meso
level explains migration in the context of households and families.
Migration in population history (Remund): historical patterns.
Development studies (Adaawen): global development, the Africa lectures.
The macro, meso and micro split returns in almost every later lecture, so learn it as a framework
rather than three separate words.
Assessment
• Midterm 29 September, 50%. Covers economic geography and migration and
development perspectives (Ballas, Adaawen, Venhorst).
• Final exam 27 October, 50%. Covers all demography perspectives (Ziogas, Remund,
Adaawen, Mulder).
• Pass mark 5.5 as the average of both. Format is a mix of multiple choice, short answer
and open ended, two hours, digital.
• Resit 26 January 2027 covers the entire course, not just the failed part. A mock exam is
provided.
• Weekly group assignments, six in total, Wednesday 12:00, pass or fail. You need at
least five out of six to pass the course.
• Failed or late assignments can be resubmitted once until a pass, hard deadline end of
week 7. Not meeting this before the resit means you do not pass.
• Repeaters redo the whole course, assignments cannot be transferred.
• You can submit topics or questions for the lecture on Brightspace under
Communication, Discussions, before 8:00 on the morning of class.
