Migration Studies Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to migration studies, based on lecture notes.

Migration

Movement of people from one place to another, central to globalization and a politically salient issue.

Push Factors

Factors that drive people to leave their home country (e.g., conflict, economic disparity).

Pull Factors

Factors that attract people to a new country (e.g., economic opportunities, lifestyle aspirations).

Voluntary Migration

Migration based on personal choice and perceived opportunities.

Forced Migration

Migration due to external factors like conflict or persecution.

Legal Migration

Migration with legal authorization.

Irregular Migration

Migration without legal authorization.

Asylum Seeker

A person seeking protection in a foreign country but whose refugee status is not yet determined.

Refugee

A person who has been forced to flee their country due to persecution, war, or violence.

Neoclassical Theory

Migration due to wage differences between locations.

NELM (New Economics of Labor Migration)

Households use migration as a strategy to manage economic risks.

Dual Labor Market Theory

Advanced economies require migrant labor for structural reasons.

World Systems Theory

Migration results from the expansion of global capitalism.

Network Theory and Cumulative Causation

Migration sustains itself through social connections and evolving community standards.

Aspiration-Capability Framework

Migration depends on both the desire and ability to move.

Migration and Ethnic Diversity

Formation of ethnic groups and transnational identities as a result of migration.

Reshaping Identity

Migration reshapes identity for both the newcomers and the host societies.

Guestworker Programs

Labor migration programs in Europe after WWII.

Family Reunification

Reunification of families due to migration.

Post-1989 Migration

Migration following the fall of the USSR and Eastern Bloc.

Migration, States, and Sovereignty

Migration challenges traditional concepts of nationhood and state power.

Control vs. Influence

States seek to control migration, but are also shaped by global forces and migrant agency.

Migration Policies

Migration policies related to entry, settlement, enforcement, and integration.

Policy Paradox

Restrictive laws often lead to unintended consequences.

Migrants in the Labor Market

Migrants fill gaps in the labor market, especially in low-wage sectors.

Meeting Labor Demands

Migrants meet flexible labor demands, engaging in entrepreneurship and precarious work.

Social Impacts and Integration

Immigration leads to new ethnic minorities and social changes.

Integration Models

Assimilation, multiculturalism, and interculturalism are models for integration.

Remittances

Money sent by migrants to their home countries can reduce poverty.

Migration and Development

Migration can foster local development, but needs the right conditions.

Future of Migration

Migration is likely to persist due to global inequalities, conflict, and labor demand.

Need for Cooperation

Need for international cooperation, evidence-based policy, and embracing diversity.

European Migration Politics

Framework for understanding migration governance in Europe.

Multilevel Governance

Complex structure where both national governments and EU bodies play roles.

Europeanization

Influence of EU policies on national migration frameworks.

Venue Shopping

Actors choose the best institutional setting for their goals.

Migration, Security, and the Politics of Threat

Migration framed as a security risk in political discourse.

Securitization

Constructing migration as an existential danger.

Integrated Approach

Synthesis of migration theories is needed.

Multidimensional Issue

Migration is influenced by economics, sovereignty, and cultural identity.

Multilevel governance

Power is distributed across EU institutions, national governments, and local authorities.

Europeanization

EU norms and laws influence national migration policies.

Venue Shopping

Actors choose favorable institutions to advance policy goals.

Assimilation

Migrants must adopt to the host culture.

Multiculturalism

Cultural diversity is accomodated.

Interculturalism

Exchange and dialogue between cultures to foste shared values.

Securitization

Occurs when state actors claim migration threatens societal security.

Post-9/11 Dynamics

Refers to when terrorist events created associations between asylum seekers and security threats.

Populist Influence

Parties frame migrants as economic or cultural threats.

Externalization

Strike deals with third countries to prevent migrants from reaching Europe.

Trade-offs

Balance security concerns with human rights.

Migration Systems Theory

Feedback mechanisms between origin and destination regions.

Multilevel Governance

A system involving EU, national, and local actors in policymaking.

Europeanization

The influence of EU policy on national migration policies.

Venue Shopping

The use of institutions to advance migration policy.

Assimilation

A model for migrants to adopt cultures and abandon the past.

Multiculturalism

Framework that supports the preservation and institutionalization of cultural diversity.

Interculturalism

Focuses on interactions and shared values between cultural groups.

Securitization

The framing of migration as a threat to justify exceptional policy measures.

Copenhagen School

A theoretical approach that introduced the concept of securitization.

Externalization

Delegating migration control to non-EU countries.

Populist Radical Right

Parties blame migrants for economic or cultural decline.

Post-9/11 Landscape

Increase in linking migration to terrorism.

Cultural Rights

Legal protections of language, religion, and identity practices for minorities.

Intergenerational Mobility

Socio-economic progress of children of migrants relative to their parents.

Global Migration System

Patterns of international movement influenced by ties, economics, and inequalities.

Post-Industrial Migration

Movement influenced by shifts to service-oriented industries.

Transit Migration

A stage of migration where individuals move through one or more countries before reaching a final destination.