Migration Study Notes

Migration

  • Definition: Migration is the permanent move to a new location.

  • Importance in Geography: Geographers study migration to understand changes in populations across regions and its impact on cultural and economic practices.

  • Cultural Transfer: Migrants carry cultural values and practices to new locations and become integrated into the cultural fabric of their new home.

Locations in This Chapter

  • Trail of Tears (p. 93)

  • Canada (p. 88)

  • U.S.-Mexico border (pp. 104-105)

  • Birmingham (p. 81)

  • Menaggio (p. 98)

  • Russia (pp. 88-89)

  • Ireland (p. 96)

  • Ellis Island (p. 102)

  • Mexico (p. 82)

  • India (p. 90)

  • Sahel (p. 95)

  • Jakarta (p. 94)

  • Tanzania (p. 94)

  • United Arab Emirates (p. 97)

  • Brazil (pp. 88-89)

  • China (pp. 83, 88-89)

Key Issues

1. Where Are the World's Migrants Distributed?

  • Some regions are gaining migrants while others are losing them.

  • The United States has been a primary destination for migrants for over two centuries.

2. Where Do People Migrate Within a Country?

  • Migration occurs at two scales: between regions of a country and within specific regions.

3. Why Do People Migrate?

  • Interest in the characteristics of migrants and their motivations is a major area of study for geographers.

4. Why Do Migrants Face Challenges?

  • Despite modern advancements that facilitate migration, legal barriers and hostility often restrict the movement of people.

Introducing Migration

  • Migration as Relocation Diffusion: Migration is a specific form of relocation diffusion. It has helped humans occupy most of the Earth's land over the last 7,000 years.

  • Mobility: Migration represents a permanent change in residence, whereas mobility encompasses a broader range of human movement, including commuting, circulation, and seasonal migration.

  • Types of Migration:

    • Emigration: Moving away from a location.

    • Immigration: Moving to a location.

    • Net migration: The difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants. Positive net migration indicates in-migration, while negative net migration indicates out-migration.

International Net Migration

  • Current Statistics: About 214 million people globally are considered international migrants (3% of the world's population).

  • The largest migration flows are:

    • Latin America to North America.

    • South Asia to Europe.

    • South Asia to Southwest Asia.

  • Key Factors for Migration: Higher incomes and better job prospects in developed countries attract migrants from developing nations.

  • The U.S. has 42 million foreign-born residents, the highest of any country.

Migration Transition

  • Defined: The migration transition relates to changes in patterns of migration corresponding to social and economic changes seen in the demographic transition.

  • Stages:

    • Stage 2 involves high international emigration.

    • Stages 3 and 4 focus on internal migrations from rural to urban areas.

International and Internal Migration

  • Types:

    • International Migration (either voluntary or forced)

    • Internal Migration (within a country)

    • Interregional Migration: Moving between regions.

    • Intraregional Migration: Moving within a region.

Changing U.S. Immigration

  • Historical Patterns:

    • Early European settlers (Colonial Era).

    • Massive influx from Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries.

    • Recent waves of immigration from Asian and Latin American countries.

  • Statistics: 80 million people have migrated to the U.S. from various countries.

Major Immigration Eras

  1. Colonial Settlement: 1700s.

  2. Mass European Immigration: Late 1800s to early 1900s.

  3. Recent Immigration: Focus shifts to Asia and Latin America post-1970s.

Patterns of Migration

U.S. Population Migration

  • The changing population center demonstrates migration trends, predominantly moving westward in the last 200 years.

  • Urban to suburban migration is a major recent trend, as many people move for lifestyle changes.

Motivations for Migration

Why Do People Migrate?

  • Economic Opportunities: People often leave areas of limited economic prospects for better opportunities.

  • Cultural and Environmental Factors: Political conflict can also drive migration, with refugees fleeing violence or persecution.

Migrants' Challenges

  • Legal Obstacles: Many migrants face challenges related to visas and border controls.

  • Public Hostility: Certain regions may have negative perceptions of migrants, complicating their integration.

Government Policies on Immigration

U.S. Immigration Policy

  • The U.S. has selective immigration policies affecting various factors, including family reunification and skilled workers.

  • Quota Laws: Established caps and preferences significantly shape U.S. immigration.

U.S.-Mexico Border Issues

  • The U.S.-Mexico border is complex, with significant migration pressures and varying conditions at crossing points.

Europe’s Immigration Crisis

  • Recent Trends: The influx of refugees due to conflicts in Syria and elsewhere has posed challenges for European nations, sparking debates on immigration policies.

  • Hostility towards migrants has increased, often linked to fears of cultural dilution.

Conclusion

  • Migration is both a personal and global phenomenon driven by a complex interplay between economic, cultural, and environmental factors. It involves various challenges including personal integration into new societies and navigating legal obstacles.

Key Terms

  • Asylum seeker: Migrant hoping to be recognized as a refugee.

  • Emigration: Leaving one's country.

  • Immigration: Entering a new country.

  • Net migration: Difference between immigrants and emigrants.

  • Refugee: Forced migrant due to fear of persecution.

  • Unauthorized immigrant: Person living in a country without proper documentation.