The document is a complete summary of the course Global Migration you will receive during your Premaster Sociology at Tilburg University. The summary consists of lectures and related cases and papers.
10. MIGRATION, SECURITY AND THE STATE ............................................................................................. 25
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, 1. Global migration theories [Lectures 1 & 2]
Human capital theory (Sjaastad, 1962)
Sjaastad saw migration as a in investment that increases the productivity of human capital (knowledge and
skills). Because people vary in skills, they will receive different gains from migration. People can invest in
migration, the same way they invest in education.
1.1 Determinist theories (classical theories which focus on the individual)
1. Ravenstein’s laws and push-pull approaches (19th century)
Ravenstein is an ecnomic determinist, because he focusses on economic aspects of migration. These laws had a
great impact on GM theories. He came up with 7 laws:
1. Most migrants migrate short distances to absorption centres.
2. Most people migrate from the rural area à urban area. This leads to depopulation in the rural areas,
which leads to migration from rural areas further away.
3. In-migration (absorption) at the expense of out-migration (dispersion).
4. Counter stream: when people move from A to B, there will be people moving from B to A.
5. Long-distance migrants head to great centres of commerce and industry, not to small places.
6. People in rural areas migrate more than those in urban areas.
7. Woman migrate more, especially short distances.
Ravenstein suggested push-pull factors!
2. Push-pull models (Evert Lee, 1966)
Push-pull models identify economic, environmental and demographic factors which are assumed to push people
out of places of origin and pull them into destination places. Push factors are factors such as population growth,
economic and political repression. Pull factors might be demand for labour, economic opportunities etc.
An example are the mines in Belgium. In the 50-60’s, there was a guest worker movement after WOII. The
heavy industry was booming in Noord-western Europe, but at the same time the local population didn’t want to
do these jobs (due to increasing education). There was therefore plenty of work. In the south of Italy the
economic situation was very bad, so they migrated to Belgium for work.
Critique push-pull models
This model does not have room for human agency, which is the ability to of human being to make independent
choices. This model sees human beings’ predictable people and who are passive to external factors. Second,
another point of critique is that the same factors that make someone push, might also pull them.
3. Neo-classical economic analyses
Neoclassical theory sees migration as a function of geographical differences in the supply and demand for
labour. The resulting wage differences encourage low-wage people to move to high-wage labour-scarce areas. It
all functions as a whole. On micro level, neoclassical theory sees people as individuals working to maximize
their incomes. Migrants are expected to go where they are needed to increase their income. On macro-level
(countries) unequal division of capital and labour. Also, migration is seen as a process which optimizes the
allocation of production flows. In the long run, receiving and sending countries will become equal due to the
allocation of wages and workers.
It focusses primarily on migration from poorer to richer countries and its starting point is that the world is
unequal.
Critique neoclassical theory
People are assumed to be rational while they try to maximize their income or utility, so this model is economic
based. Second, people are assumed to have all the knowledge to compare employment opportunities and wage
levels (from a destination country). Third, the assumption that capital, insurance markets are accessible for the
poor. An example in neoclassical theory is that they assume poor people can borrow money to finance their
migration, but in reality, banks do not lend poor people money.
This model does not have room for human agency, which is the ability to of human being to make independent
choices. This model sees human beings’ predictable people and who are passive to external factors.
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