Lectures Migrants and Integration
Lecture 1 International migration – definitions, types, trends and
theories
Definitions Definition international migration
- Movements across boundaries change of residence
- Long-term immigrants: ppl staying more than one year
- International Organisation of Migration (IOM)
immigration definition: process by which non-nationals
move into other country for settlement
Types of immigrants
- Labour migrants: guestworkers, high- and low-skilled
- Family migrants: family reunion and formation
- Refugees: asylum seekers, status holders, rejected
asylum seekers
- International students
Refugees and asylum seekers
- Asylum seekers: ppl making formal request for asylum
bcs life at risk
- Refugees: fleeing home bcs life at risk. They’re
accepted and recognised in new host country
- UN convention refugee: person outside country owing
to founded fear of being persecuted for various
reasons
Dichotomies in labelling immigrants
- Voluntary vs forced
- Self-supported vs smuggled
- Documented vs undocumented
- Orderly vs irregular (illegal)
Concerns labelling/use of types/dichotomies
- Different definitions and interpretations per country
- Labels don’t fit complex reality
- Some labels have negative connotations in some
contexts
Various countries of origin
- Many different countries of origin (C_O) in many
countries of destination (C_D)
- Very diverse nationalities, ethnicities, cultures
- Different times of arrival and thus history due to
different circumstances
Trends in migration - Routes changed, numbers changed
Trends in migration to NL since 2000
- Family migration biggest
- Asylum migration volume fluctuated
- Strong increase in labour migration (from EU countries)
- Strong increase in international students (mainly from
EU C_O)
, Migration data
- Ways of collecting data:
1. Population registers (OECD, EUROSTAT)
2. Administrative sources (visas, residence permits)
3. Border controls
4. Household surveys
Migration data limitations and concerns
- Difficult to compare flow across countries: definitions,
data-collection manner
- Undocumented immigrants not included in data
- Western countries collect most data
- Few studies on explanatory factors for migration,
mainly measure intention to leave, not migration
Theories on migration Migration theories
patterns - Different theories on micro, meso, macro-level
Five main migration theories
1. Neo-classical economics (macro and micro)
2. New economics
3. Segmented labour market
4. World system theory
5. Social capital and cumulative causation
1 Neo-classical economics theory
- Main assumption: ppl are rational, move to where they
gain the most. Migration is investment in human
capital
- Macro-level: push-pull approach
- Explanatory variables: wage differential,
unemployment differential
- Newer variants include more push and pull-factors
- Micro-level: cost-benefit analysis
- Explanatory variables: expected income differential
- Likelihood of employment
2 New economics theory
- Main assumption: migration decisions taken by larger
units of people to minimize risk of household income
- Focus on C_O push factors
- Household/family makes decision to migrate
- Relative deprivation (reference group is C_O)
- Main explanatory variables: access to capital, lack of
social security, high transaction costs
3 Segmented (dual) labour market theory
- Main assumption: industrialized countries have
demand for immigrant labour
- Primary segment: capital intensive sectors, with skilled
work with high status and income
- Secondary segment: labour intensive sectors, unskilled
work, low income/status jobs
, - Focus on C_D pull factors
- Explanatory factors: demand of jobs in dual labour
market: primary and secondary segment
4 World system theory
- Main assumption: relationships between countries
shape migration. Migration from periphery to core,
sometimes through semi-periphery
- Marxist/anti-capitalist analysis
- Focus on relationship between C_O and C_D
- Explanatory factors: growth of investment from C_D in
C_O, former colonies, cultural similarities, existing
communication and transport, main international
harbours
5 Social capital theory
- Main assumption: social ties in C_D increase likelihood
of migration
- Different mechanisms how ties influence migration
decisions:
1. Affinity
2. Information
3. Facilitating
4. Encouraging
- Focus on ties as pull factor (ties in C_O also matter)
- Relevant for perpetuation of migration (cumulative
causation)
- Explanatory factors: quantity and quality of relatives in
C_O and C_D, existence of migrant supporting
institutions
Empirical evidence for theories
Neo-classical theory
- Hooghe et al.: unemployment as pull factor
- Neumayer: GDP, GDP growth, political violence (push
factors)
World system theory
- Hooghe et al.: population former colony, language
- Neumayer: no effects religion and colonial link
Social capital theory
- Neumayer: stock asylum seekers
! theories are complementary !
Seminar 1
Intro Deadline paper 5th April 18.00
On blackboard
Exam 12th April
Lecture 1 International migration – definitions, types, trends and
theories
Definitions Definition international migration
- Movements across boundaries change of residence
- Long-term immigrants: ppl staying more than one year
- International Organisation of Migration (IOM)
immigration definition: process by which non-nationals
move into other country for settlement
Types of immigrants
- Labour migrants: guestworkers, high- and low-skilled
- Family migrants: family reunion and formation
- Refugees: asylum seekers, status holders, rejected
asylum seekers
- International students
Refugees and asylum seekers
- Asylum seekers: ppl making formal request for asylum
bcs life at risk
- Refugees: fleeing home bcs life at risk. They’re
accepted and recognised in new host country
- UN convention refugee: person outside country owing
to founded fear of being persecuted for various
reasons
Dichotomies in labelling immigrants
- Voluntary vs forced
- Self-supported vs smuggled
- Documented vs undocumented
- Orderly vs irregular (illegal)
Concerns labelling/use of types/dichotomies
- Different definitions and interpretations per country
- Labels don’t fit complex reality
- Some labels have negative connotations in some
contexts
Various countries of origin
- Many different countries of origin (C_O) in many
countries of destination (C_D)
- Very diverse nationalities, ethnicities, cultures
- Different times of arrival and thus history due to
different circumstances
Trends in migration - Routes changed, numbers changed
Trends in migration to NL since 2000
- Family migration biggest
- Asylum migration volume fluctuated
- Strong increase in labour migration (from EU countries)
- Strong increase in international students (mainly from
EU C_O)
, Migration data
- Ways of collecting data:
1. Population registers (OECD, EUROSTAT)
2. Administrative sources (visas, residence permits)
3. Border controls
4. Household surveys
Migration data limitations and concerns
- Difficult to compare flow across countries: definitions,
data-collection manner
- Undocumented immigrants not included in data
- Western countries collect most data
- Few studies on explanatory factors for migration,
mainly measure intention to leave, not migration
Theories on migration Migration theories
patterns - Different theories on micro, meso, macro-level
Five main migration theories
1. Neo-classical economics (macro and micro)
2. New economics
3. Segmented labour market
4. World system theory
5. Social capital and cumulative causation
1 Neo-classical economics theory
- Main assumption: ppl are rational, move to where they
gain the most. Migration is investment in human
capital
- Macro-level: push-pull approach
- Explanatory variables: wage differential,
unemployment differential
- Newer variants include more push and pull-factors
- Micro-level: cost-benefit analysis
- Explanatory variables: expected income differential
- Likelihood of employment
2 New economics theory
- Main assumption: migration decisions taken by larger
units of people to minimize risk of household income
- Focus on C_O push factors
- Household/family makes decision to migrate
- Relative deprivation (reference group is C_O)
- Main explanatory variables: access to capital, lack of
social security, high transaction costs
3 Segmented (dual) labour market theory
- Main assumption: industrialized countries have
demand for immigrant labour
- Primary segment: capital intensive sectors, with skilled
work with high status and income
- Secondary segment: labour intensive sectors, unskilled
work, low income/status jobs
, - Focus on C_D pull factors
- Explanatory factors: demand of jobs in dual labour
market: primary and secondary segment
4 World system theory
- Main assumption: relationships between countries
shape migration. Migration from periphery to core,
sometimes through semi-periphery
- Marxist/anti-capitalist analysis
- Focus on relationship between C_O and C_D
- Explanatory factors: growth of investment from C_D in
C_O, former colonies, cultural similarities, existing
communication and transport, main international
harbours
5 Social capital theory
- Main assumption: social ties in C_D increase likelihood
of migration
- Different mechanisms how ties influence migration
decisions:
1. Affinity
2. Information
3. Facilitating
4. Encouraging
- Focus on ties as pull factor (ties in C_O also matter)
- Relevant for perpetuation of migration (cumulative
causation)
- Explanatory factors: quantity and quality of relatives in
C_O and C_D, existence of migrant supporting
institutions
Empirical evidence for theories
Neo-classical theory
- Hooghe et al.: unemployment as pull factor
- Neumayer: GDP, GDP growth, political violence (push
factors)
World system theory
- Hooghe et al.: population former colony, language
- Neumayer: no effects religion and colonial link
Social capital theory
- Neumayer: stock asylum seekers
! theories are complementary !
Seminar 1
Intro Deadline paper 5th April 18.00
On blackboard
Exam 12th April
