Geog254 09 Migration Trends Review PDF

GEOG 254 Society and Environment 09 Migration Geographies  Causes and types of migration 1. duration: temporary relocation - migration 2. intention: forced - voluntary Do the people have a choice to migrate? 3. stimulus: natural - social What i...

GEOG 254 Society and Environment 09 Migration Geographies  Causes and types of migration 1. duration: temporary relocation - migration 2. intention: forced - voluntary Do the people have a choice to migrate? 3. stimulus: natural - social What induced their decision? natural causes social causes disaster environmental… flood insufficient food supply political (discrimination, territorial expulsion) drought urban air pollution security (crime, armed conflict) volcano desertification religious (oppression, lack of freedom) tsunami water pollution socio-economic (employment, security) tornado climate change (sea level rise, change of agricultural prod.) Mobility and Migration Mobility general term that refers to the flexibility (choice, access, resources) of people to move across space Signs of mobility (among others): 1. Circulation spatial movement of people on a frequent basis (commute, grocery shopping, weekend recreation, family visits etc) 2. Seasonal mobility temporary relocation following a frequent pattern (college housing, seasonal employment contracts etc) 3. Migration movement of people, especially of whole groups, from one place, region, or country to another, particularly with the intention of making permanent settlement in a new location Latin origins of the term: migrare (lat) wander, walk Voluntary Migration: Reasons WHY migrate? living conditions at home < living conditions in new location Migration Selectivity: The tendency for certain types of people to migrate. Age, education, and other sociodemographic characteristics are migration selectivity factors. subjective consideration, ie. based on personal priorities and possibly incorrect information Intervening obstacles to migration Environmental: mountain ranges, large rivers, deserts, oceans = natural barriers to overcoming physical space historically most important barrier; today most obstacles are overcome by modern technology, transportation, globalization Cultural and political: immigration laws, employment regulations, visa requirements = policy barriers to overcoming cultural and political differences barrier that has become increasingly relevant for global migration, now that environmental barriers are overcome Ravenstein: Reasons to migrate push factors pull factors economic unemployment more jobs available economic depression more rewards low currency, inflation rates economic stability low upward mobility natural resources, tax burden environmental environmental risks, hazards less env hazards, insects, climate preferences, scarce hunting opportunities, allergies, space and natural resources personal preferences on lifestyle climate health reasons outdoor/leisure cultural / war, political atmosphere, freedom, political change religion, intolerance, language, removes barriers, safety and political professional prefernces, customs protection, variety and traditions Policy implications of migration …for immigration country: …for home country: 1. economic: skilled workers gain of human capital ‘brain drain’ remittances loss of consumer funds gain of consumer funds 2. socio-cultural: separated families social imbalances (gender, age) socio-economic insecurity cultural differences adaptation policies, conflict loss of identity 3. environmental: resource pressure urbanization, pollution regeneration Migration Definitions by UN-IOM United Nations International Organization for Migration Migrant worker – A person who is to be engaged, is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which he or she is not a national. Remittances – Private international monetary transfers that migrants in host countries make, individually or collectively to (most often) their families back in sending countries. Asylum seeker – An individual who is seeking international protection. In countries with individualized procedures, an asylum seeker is someone whose claim has not yet been finally decided on by the country in which he or she has submitted it. Not every asylum seeker will ultimately be recognized as a refugee, but every recognized refugee is initially an asylum seeker Refugee (1951 Convention) – A person who, owing to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) – Persons or groups of persons who have been forced or (IDPs) obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border. Trafficking in persons – The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. Stateless person – A person who is not considered as a national by any State under the operation of its law. Brain Drain vs Brain Gain? Example: University Student Mobility - China sends by far the largest number of students abroad, but they account for just 2% of the number of students within the country. - US students, on the other hand, are much less likely to study abroad (1%). Source: https://uis.unesco.org/en /blog/brain-drain-gain- benefits-arising- international-knowledge- networks  WILLIAM SAFRAN’S DEFINITION OF DIASPORA original communities have spread from the homeland to two or more countries; these communities are bound to their original geographical locations by a common vision, memory, or myth about their homeland; these communities hold a belief that they will never be accepted by their hosts and therefore develop autonomous cultural and social needs; they believe that they or their descendants will return to the homeland should conditions prove favorable; they are strongly motivated to maintain support for their homeland, and continue to take an interest in the affairs of their homeland.  GREAT DIASPORA OF THE PAST ROBIN COHEN’S (1997) TYPOLOGY Victim diasporas (e.g., classic diasporas forced into exile such as the Jewish, African, Armenian diasporas) Labour diasporas (e.g., mass migration in search of work and economic opportunities such as the Indian and Turkish diasporas) Trade diasporas (e.g., migrations seeking to open trade routes and links such as the Chinese and Lebanese diasporas) Imperial diasporas (e.g., migration among those keen to serve and maintain empires such as the British and French diasporas) Cultural diasporas (e.g., those who move through a process of chain migration such as the Caribbean diaspora).  The Global Flow of People, 1990-2015 1990–1995 1995-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 2010-2015 Source: From Abel, G. J., & Sander, N. (2014). © 2014 AAAS (Source: IOM (2020) report) (Source: IOM (2020) report) (Source: IOM (2020) report) Big Picture: Compared to the past, these are migratory times. However, still only 3.5% of the world’s population have moved across an international border to live in another country. And only 10% of those migrants are refugees. (Source: IOM (2020) report) (Source: IOM (2020) report)  Forced Migration and Refugees Forced migration: Permanent forced movement, usually driven by political/cultural factors. - territorial displacement (expulsion) of ethnic groups after war - Human trafficking, kidnapping, slavery Refugees: People who are forced to migrate from their home country and cannot return for fear of targeted persecution because of their - social/ethnic/racial group - political opinion.  Internally displaced persons (IDPs) IDPs: People who have been forced to flee their homes, but not left their home country. With more and more internal conflicts replacing inter-state wars, the number of IDPs has increased significantly UNHCR 2021 Report (2022): https://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends