Migration

Why do people migrate? A combination of push and pull factors influences migration decisions Most people migrate for economic reasons

United States (a land of migrants) About 70 million people have migrated since 1820 U.S. has more foreign born residents than any other country (about 35 million)

Global Migration

Three major push and pull factors Economic Cultural Environmental

Which type of migration factor is it Which type of migration factor is it? Environmental, Cultural, Economic Push or Pull Environmental Push Hurricane Katrina leveled the Gulf Coast and New Orleans In 1979, Iran’s government became an Islamic Theocracy unfriendly to other religious groups Political Push The American colonies offered persecuted people in Europe religious freedom Political Pull The Ford plant in Flint, MI closed down, laying off hundreds of workers Economic Push States like Florida and Arizona have warm weather that many retirees enjoy Environmental Pull Kuwait has difficulty filling all of its jobs in the oil industry Economic Pull Political Push During the Rwandan genocide refugees fled to neighboring countries like Tanzania and DRC Environmental Push Record floods in Pakistan this summer destroyed fields and swamped homes

Which type of migration factor is it Which type of migration factor is it? Environmental, Cultural, Economic Push or Pull Political Push African Americans had to live under the Jim Crow laws in the South In the 1840s blight destroyed the potato crop in Ireland Economic Push Universities in the U.S. offer many foreign students better opportunities than their own countries Economic Pull The Turkish government banned the Kurdish language for many years Political Push The U.S. allows refugees to apply for political asylum Political Pull Millions of jobs have become available in coastal Chinese cities in recent years Economic Pull Environmental Push The Maldives are low-lying islands in the Indian Ocean threatened by rising seas. Political Push Many Afghanis who worked as translators for the U.S. fear retribution from the Taliban

Which type of migration factor is it Which type of migration factor is it? Environmental, Cultural, Economic Push or Pull Economic Pull Farms in California employ many seasonal migrant farm workers from Mexico The civil war between the north and south in Sudan created many refugees. Cultural Push Countries with aging populations may have guest worker programs. Economic Pull Before the Berlin Wall fell, West Germany offered more freedoms than East Germany. Cultural Pull Sharecropping in the South was a system designed to keep African Americans poor. Economic Push Colorado has several great ski resorts and many “ski bums.” Environmental Pull Environmental Push The Sahara Desert is expanding southward due to desertification. Economic Pull Natural gas drilling in the Marcelus Shale is a new booming industry in PA.

E. G. Ravenstein (Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society) Geography has no comprehensive theory of migration. Contemporary geographic migrations studies based on Ravenstein’s Laws The reasons why migrants move Push/pull factors The characteristics of migrants The distance migrants typically move

Ravenstein’s Laws Characteristics of Migrants Most long-distance migrants were male Most long-distance migrants were adult individuals rather than families with children Since the late 20th century these have changed Women and children now make up the majority of migrants In U.S. the gender pattern reversed in 1990’s – women 55% Changing role of women in Mexican society (some join husbands or brothers most seek work) In U.S. the pattern of most immigrants being adults continues – most immigrants are between the ages of 25 -39 (less likely to be elderly) However an increasing percentage of U.S. children are immigrants (more women coming to U.S. bring their children)

Ravenstein’s Laws Distance of Migration Most migrants relocate a short distance and remain within the same country (Ravenstein) Long-distance migrants to other countries head for major centers of economic activity (Ravenstein) International (less numerous…distance decay) Voluntary /forced Guest workers, Internal Intraregional Interegional

Migration Transition Geographer Wilbur Zelinsky identified a “migration transition”, which consists of changes in a society comparable to those in the demographic transition. A society in stage 1 of DTM has high daily or seasonal mobility in search of food International migration is primarily a phenomenon of countries in stage 2 of DTM. Internal migration is more important in stages 3 and 4 of DTM