Migration - Summary
Michael Samers & Michael Collyer (2017)
Inhoudsopgave
H1 Introduction...............................................................................................................................................................2
Key issues and debates concerning migration.............................................................................................................3
Global Tendencies and estimated patterns of migration across the globe..................................................................4
Social theory, spatial concepts and the study of migration..........................................................................................4
H2 International migration: determinist theories............................................................................................................7
H3: International migration: integrative theories..........................................................................................................11
Towards a spatial approach to migration...................................................................................................................14
H4 Geo-political economies of migration control..........................................................................................................15
Theories of migration control in the ‘global north’....................................................................................................16
Migration control in poorer countries.......................................................................................................................18
H5 Geographies of migration, work and settlement......................................................................................................20
Forces of regulation...................................................................................................................................................22
H6 Geographies of migration, citizenship and belonging..............................................................................................23
Citizenship as rights...................................................................................................................................................23
Citizenship as belonging............................................................................................................................................24
Citizenship as civic and political participation............................................................................................................26
H7 Conclusions..............................................................................................................................................................28
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,H1 Introduction
The Italian island Lampedusa is a stepping stone for African migrants. Close to the coast of Tunesia.
Travelling by boat goes often wrong. The Italian authorities come when it’s too late.
What shows this?
Social networks create an imagined and potentially real promise for migrants.
Different scales of regulation migration control by EU, countries can decide who they let in and who not,
e.g. Italy.
Desperation of migrants to make such a dangerous and long trip to get to a wealthier country.
The ‘new mobilities paradigm’ = the idea that the social sciences can be renewed again by exploring ideas of mobility
rather than taking stability and stasis as the world’s natural state of affairs (Sheller & Ury, 2006)
Migration and mobility should be accepted as the norm, as natural. States/territories as aberrant (Favell, 2008).
But can migration uncritically be subsumed in the mobility approach? And borders and regulations also create and
shape migration.
Migration is multi-facetted.
This book focus on international low-income migration and immigration, the causes and consequences of this and
the experiences of (im)migrants.
Critical view on concepts is needed.
Migrancy = the movement and process rather than stability and fixity across both space and time (Harney &
Baldassar, 2007)
migration is complicated, challenging and diverse, involving changing statuses and multiple geographical
trajectories.
So, difficult to categorize.
Categorisations that are often used:
1. Internal vs. international
a. Internal migrants = those who move within their own countries
b. International migration = the act of moving across international boundaries from a country or origin
(or country of emigration) to take up residence in a country of destination (or country of
immigration)
2. Temporary vs. permanent
a. Temporary/sojourner migration = international migrants whose duration of stay in a given country is
greater than three months but less than 12 months (a short-term migrant, UN Dep. of Economics and
Social Affairs)
b. Circular migration = migrant move back and forth between country/place of origin and country/place
of destination (permanently temporary)
c. Immigrants = individuals who stay in a foreign country for years as permanent residents without
‘naturalizing’ (becoming a citizen of that country)
d. Migrants = those who find themselves in a condition of more temporary residence in a country of
destination
e. Migrants live with different thoughts: permanent sense of temporary and temporary sense of the
permanent.
3. Legal vs. undocumented
a. Legal migrants = those individuals who have express authorization of (usually) a national government
to enter, reside or work in the country of destination
many different statuses with different rights
b. Undocumented migrants = those individuals who cross international boundaries either without being
detected by authorities (clandestine entry) or who overstay their visas (so a legal migrants who do
not abide by their status)
illegal immigrant is an inaccurate term, they can’t be illegal. Illegalized migrant can.
4. Different modes of entry: refugee, asylum-seeker, low-income worker, high-skilled worker, student, etc.
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, a. No globally accepted definition of ‘skilled’ and ‘less-skilled’. Skills often not recognized by
governments/firm/countries of immigration/even within countries
i. States have immigration categories considering the degree of skills: high- vs. low-skilled
5. Forced vs. voluntary
a. Difficult to distinguish
b. Forced: two types
i. Refugees = “someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to
a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,
membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.” (depends on interpretation of
governments, refugee status gives rights and social support)
Asylum-seekers = individuals who are seeking asylum, or refugee status in another country
(can be if they arrive or if they are already there for a while)
(according to international conventions: Geneva Convention, ‘New York’ Protocol)
ii. Economic migration: forced to migrate due to poverty / low wages (by governments often
seen as voluntary migration, they don’t get much sympathy)
Also distinction between international and internal (IDPs)
c. Voluntary migration: seeking for higher wages, gain international experience, join family
i. High-skilled migrants (but not all)
ii. Low-skilled migrants (but not all)
Categorizations can be significant, but must be carefully used.
Key issues and debates concerning migration
Causes of migration: reflect social problems and inappropriate policies
1. Unequal trading system and its detrimental effect on farmers in poorer countries
2. War
3. Environmental stress
4. Chronic unemployment
5. Cultural, political and social marginalization of specific groups of people
6. Social networks
7. Gender expectations and oppressions
Causes connected to each other. But also related to the consequences of migration in the countries of emigration.
Migrant-work relations
Can migrants even get a job?
o Is it allowed?
o Do they have the necessary qualifications, education, skills?
What character of work do they perform?
o Sometimes informal, unregulated, underpaid
How to govern this?
Response of various levels of government and their citizens to migration (in countries of immigration)
Regulation? governance
o Governance / migration industry = the growing role played by private companies and civil society
groups in responding to migration.
Encouragement or resistance?
Related to complex geographies: different regions/cities/towns respond differently
Migration policy shaped by migrants and pro-migrant NGOs. Government are far from in control of migration.
Governments struggle to find a balance: Geneva Convention vs. limitations
o Issue: increased criminalization and securitization
o (Especially) high-skilled immigrants needed for work, but also for work abandoned by citizens of the
destination country
Concerns of poorer countries (countries of emigration)
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