International Migration_Full Summary_Year2_MISOC

International Migration - Summary
S. Castles, H. de Haas & M. Miller (2014), The Age of Migration. International
Population Movements in the Modern World. Houndsmill, Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan (5th ed.)

LEARNING GOALS

After completing the course, students should know:
 Size and character of international migration processes in various parts of the
world, both in the present and in the past
 Economic and sociological theories about factors that contribute to the rise and
continuation of processes of international migration
 The extent and how migration policies and migration control of receiving countries
are able to steer international migration flows
And take..
 …a substantiated position about whether or not, or under which conditions,
international migration contributes to the economic development of and social
relations within sending communities
 …a substantiated position about whether or not, or under what conditions,
international migration results in growing socio-economic inequality and
sociocultural diversity in receiving countries




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, CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Consequences of settlement of migrant groups
Origin countries Receiving countries
Brain drain Fundamental change in social, cultural,
economic and political fabric societies 
formation of ethnic minorities
Remittances and knowledge migrants Increased political salience (rise of extreme
gather from abroad will foster human right-wing, anti-immigrant and anti-Islam
and economic development parties),
voting along cultural lines) e.g. 9/11
Undermines growth and fuel inflation, Compete to attract highly skilled through
because countries become remittance- privileged rules on entry an residence,
dependent, non-productive and while manual workers and refugees
migration-obsessed communities experience exclusion and discrimination.
Can help overcome violence and
destructiveness that characterize the era of
nationalism


Economic woes often lead to anti-immigration policies:
Global Economic Crisis (GEB) in 2008  Countries tightened up immigration control
measures and wanted to send migrants home.
There was limited structural effect on migration, but
popular resentment of immigrants was stirred up.

1.1 THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBAL MIGRATION

1.1.1 Changes in migration in recent years
- Global scope
- Migration’s centrality to domestic and international politics
- Migration’s considerable economic and social consequences.
- New forms of mobility are emerging: retirement migration, mobility in search of
better (or just different) lifestyles, repeated or circular movement.
- Barrier between migration and tourism is blurring.
o People travel as tourists to check potential migration destinations
o Temporary workers turn into permanent workers.
- International migration instead of rural-urban migration.

1.1.2 Challenges of contemporary migration
- Some politicians and analysts argue the sovereignty of states is challenged,
specifically to their ability to regulate movements of people across their
borders.
- Transnationalism
o People foster social and economic relations in two or more societies at
once
 seen as undermining the undivided loyalty some think is crucial to
sovereign nation-states.
- Tighter control measures often result in higher irregularity in migration
Most migrants do not come from the poorest countries or social classes, because
international migration requires significant resources Most migration is not driven
by poverty or violence.

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,1.1.3 Reasons to expect the age of migration to endure
- Persistent inequalities in wealth between rich and poor countries will continue to
impel large numbers of people to move in search of better living standards;
- Political or ethnic conflict in a number of regions is likely to lead to future large-
scale refugee movements;
- The creation of new free trade areas will facilitate movements of labour,
whether or not this is intended by the governments concerned;
- Economic development in poorer countries gives people the resources to
migrate.
International migration has not increased in relative terms, but falling costs of travel
and infrastructure improvements have rapidly increased non-migratory forms of
mobility such as tourism, business trips and commuting.




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, Figure 1.5: Data is different than
for other migrants. Refugees
tend to end up in poor areas,
whilst other migrants - especially
high-skilled - migrate to richer
areas




1.2 CONTEMPORARY MIGRATIONS: GENERAL TRENDS
Most countries experience both emigration and migration (although one often
predominates)
Classical countries of migration are USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Argentina.

1.2.1 Migratory patterns
- Globalization of migration
o More and more countries are affected by international migration from an
increasingly diverse array of source countries.
- Changing direction of dominant migration flows
o From a prime source of emigration, Europe has been transformed into a
major global migration destination.
- Differentiation of migration
o Most countries are not dominated by one type of migration, such as labour
migration, family reunion, refugee movement or permanent settlement.
- Proliferation of migration transition
o Traditional lands of emigration become lands of immigration.
- Feminization of labour migration
o Women became the majority in various migration flows (refugees, family
migrants and labour migrants).
- Growing politicization of migration

1.2.2 International Migration in Global Governance
Globalization challenged the sovereignty of national governments from above and
below. The growth of transnational society has given rise to novel challenges and has
blurred the formerly distinctive spheres of decision making  increased need for
international policy making.




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