Internal Migration

• Migration: crossing of administrative boundaries, long-distance travel, permanent change in residence

• Migrants: people who changed address and who moved to a different administrative jurisdiction

• Non-migrants: people who changed their address but stayed within the same administrative jurisdiction

• Immigrant: move into a country

• Emigrant: move out of a country

• Migration studies depend on estimates

• Census: most comprehensive data source for migration

Laws of Migration

• Most migrants travel short distances

• Urban expansion has a gradual effect on migration

• For every stream of migration in 1 direction, there is a corresponding counter stream

• Migration is more likely among rural populations

• Women are more likely to migrate short-distances

• Technological development stimulates migration

• Economic motives are the most important determinants of migration

Mobility Transition

• 5 phases:

  • Pre-modern traditional society

  • Early transitional

  • Late transitional phase

  • Advanced society

  • Super advanced society

Typological Models

• Innovating movement: motivated by the desire to improve one’s socioeconomic status

• Conservative movement: motivated by the desire to escape the situation that poses a significant threat to the well-being

• Depends on:

  • Type of interaction involved

  • Migratory force assumed

  • Class of migration

Spatial Models

• Distance-gravity model: different places within some defined geographical system exert differential gravitational pull (attracting potential migrants)

  • When people migrate, they generally prefer to travel as short a distance as possible

• Intervening opportunities model: the number of people moving a given distance is proportional to the number of opportunities at that distance

Neoclassical Macroeconomic Model

• Neoclassical macroeconomic model: differential economic opportunity structures across geographical areas are the key determinants of internal migration patterns

Rational Actor Model

• Rational actor model: the decision to move is based on the assessment of the long-term benefits of relocation in relation to the long-term costs

  • Importance of values and goals

Lee’s Theory

• Pushing or pulling factors influencing someone migrating or not

Todaro’s Model of Rural-Urban Migration in Developing Countries

• Perception of an expected significant wage differential between rural and urban areas

Social Demographic Aspects of Migration

• Migration: is a selective process

• The selectivity of migrants’ characteristics has been declining/weakening

• The age pattern of migration:

  • Pre-labour-force years: low chance of migrating

  • Labour-force stage: the highest probability of migrating

  • Post-labour-force phase: moderate chance of migrating

• Sex-ratio of in and out migration stays around 1

Migration and “Social Disorganization”

• High rates of migration are associated with rapid social and economic change