FEBRUARY 16, 2016 IMMIGRANT AMERICA

Migration— Latin root: Migra meaning: to leave one place and wander to another Emigration— e (ex) Out meaning: to leave a place Immigration— im (in) meaning: to enter a place Immigrant America: Focuses on people who have entered the United States

Earnest Ravenstein (1834–1913) German cartographer who established first modern theory of migration in the 1880s. 1. Every migration flow generates a return or counter-migration. 2. The majority of migrants move a short distance. 3. Migrants who move longer distances tend to choose big-city destinations. 4. Urban residents are often less migratory than inhabitants of rural areas. 5. Families are less likely to make international moves than young adults. 6. Most migrants are adults. 7. Large towns grow by migration rather than natural population growth. 8. Women migrate more than men, except when it is long-distance migration

Source: pull/chart_w_events.html

ation_trends_rev2.shtml

Neoclassical Theory/Economic Reasons “Supply and Demand” World Systems Theory/Structural Analysis “We’re here because you were there” (Social Capital Theory/Migrant Networks “friends and family”) Theories of International Migration

Neo-Classical Theory Based in capitalist economic theory Macro-Economic Reasons 1.Main cause is difference in wages 2.International labor migration can be controlled by government Micro-Economic Reasons 1.Rational Individuals migrate because they have calculated the costs and benefits 2.Migrants estimate net returns in each future period 3.The policies that affect expected earnings in sending and receiving countries can influence the size of migration flows New Economics of Migration, Segmented labor market theory,

Historical-Structural Theory and World Systems Theory Historical-Structural Theory International migration is caused by unequal distribution of political and economic power in the world economy World Systems Theory (post-colonial theory) Penetration of capitalist economic relations into non-capialist or pre- capitalist societies creates a mobile population that can easily make a decision to migrate