- Achilles Lassalle
- 7/24/25
What is Migration?
Migration: A permanent move to a new location.
Mobility: General term for all types of movement.
Circulation: Repetitive short-term movements (e.g., daily commute).
Net migration: Immigration minus emigration.
Positive = more immigrants (net in-migration).
Negative = more emigrants (net out-migration).
Types of Migration
- International Migration: Across country borders.
- Voluntary: Chosen for economic improvement.
- Forced: Compelled due to conflict, environment, or persecution.
- Internal Migration: Within a country.
- Interregional: Between regions (e.g., rural to urban).
- Intraregional: Within one region (e.g., cities to suburbs).
Global Migration Patterns
- Most migrants come from developing countries and move to developed ones.
- Largest flows:
● From Asia to Europe
● From Asia to North America
● From Latin America to North America
U.S. Immigration History
Colonial Period: Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.
19th–Early 20th Century: Europe (Germany, Ireland, Scandinavia, Southern & Eastern
Europe).
Late 20th–21st Century: Latin America and Asia (Mexico, China, India, Philippines).
U.S. Internal Migration
- Historic trend: East to West expansion.
● The Great Migration: African Americans moved North (1916–1970).
● Counterurbanization: City to rural areas — often lifestyle-motivated.
● Recent trend: Migration to South & West (Sunbelt), and suburban growth.
Migration in Other Countries
● Russia: Encouraged movement to Siberia.
● China: Largest rural-to-urban migration.
● Brazil: Moved capital to Brasília to attract interior migration.
● Canada: East to west migration patterns.
Why Do People Migrate?
Push factors: Induce people to leave (e.g., war, disasters).
Pull factors: Attract people (e.g., jobs, safety).
Three categories:
● Economic: Jobs, income opportunities.
● Cultural/Political: Freedom, safety, persecution.
● Environmental: Climate, hazards, natural beauty.
Forced Migration
Refugee: Escaping conflict, disaster, or persecution.
Internally Displaced Person (IDP): Refugee within their own country.
Asylum seeker: Awaiting refugee status in another country.
Migration Policies
- U.S. quotas limit immigration by country.
Priority given to:
● Family reunification
● Skilled workers
● Diversity lottery (countries with low U.S. immigration)
Brain drain: Loss of educated/skilled workers from home countries.
Guest workers: Migrants allowed to work temporarily (e.g., in Europe).
Unauthorized Immigration
- Entering a country without legal documentation.
- Common from Mexico and Central America into the U.S.
Controversial issues:
● Border security
● Path to citizenship
● Contributions vs. use of services
Obstacles to Migration
- Legal requirements (visas, documentation) are major modern obstacles.
Intervening obstacles: Barriers such as geography, laws, finances.
Ravenstein’s Migration Laws
- Most migrants travel short distances.
- Long-distance migrants go to major economic centers.
- Young adults are most likely to migrate.
- Historically, males dominated international migration; now more gender-balanced.
Migration Trends
Urbanization: Rural to cities for jobs/services.
Suburbanization: City to suburbs, especially in developed countries.
Counterurbanization: Cities to rural areas.
