Sociology Lesson 10: Global Migration

Globalization

• A process that expands sociocultural and socioecological processes from national to international and transcultural levels
• Focuses on world's interconnectivity in terms of processes, events, and decisions
• Involves the movement of trade, capital, and ideas

Migration

• The movement of people from one place to another, often across political or administrative boundaries, with the intention of settling temporarily or permanently in a new location

Types of Migration

• Internal Migration: movement of people within a country from one place to another
• International Migration: movement of people across international borders
• Voluntary Migration: movement of people by choice, often for better opportunities or quality of life
• Involuntary Migration: movement of people against their will, often due to conflict, persecution, or disaster

Benefits for Sending Countries

• Economic Remittances: money sent by migrants to their home country, supporting families and stimulating local economies
• Skill and Knowledge Transfer: migrants bringing their skills and knowledge to a new country or sharing them with their home country upon return
• Reduction in Unemployment: migration easing unemployment pressures in countries with surplus labor

Detriments for Sending Countries

• Brain Drain: emigration of highly skilled or educated individuals, leading to a loss of valuable human capital
• Dependency on Remittances: a significant portion of a country's economy relying on money sent from citizens working abroad
• Social Impact: effects of migration on communities, including changes in cultural practices, family structures, and social cohesion

Detriments for Sending Countries

• Brain Drain: the emigration of highly skilled or educated individuals, leading to a loss of valuable human capital in the home country.
• Dependency on Remittances: when a country's economy relies heavily on money sent from citizens working abroad, making it vulnerable to global economic fluctuations.
• Social Impact: changes in cultural practices, family structures, and social cohesion due to migration, leading to family separations and demographic imbalances.

The Problem of Human Trafficking

• Human Trafficking: the illegal trade of humans for exploitation, including forced labor, sexual exploitation, and involuntary servitude.
• Causes and Contributing Factors:
  • Economic Vulnerability: susceptibility to economic downturns or shocks, pushing individuals into the hands of traffickers due to poverty and lack of opportunities.
  • Political Instability and Conflict: displacing populations and making them vulnerable to trafficking due to frequent changes in government, violent conflicts, or other disruptions to the political system.
  • Lack of Awareness and Education: uninformed or underinformed individuals about migration laws, risks, and opportunities, making them vulnerable to trafficking.

Consequences of Human Trafficking

• Human Rights Violations: severe physical and psychological abuse, infringing upon fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed to individuals by international law.
• Economic Costs: financial burdens or losses incurred by individuals, communities, or nations, including loss of productivity and increased social and health care costs.
• Social Disintegration: breakdown of social bonds, norms, and values within a community, leading to increased isolation and reduced social cohesion, causing long-term social damage.