Migration The Movement of People

Migration Movement from one place to another on a long-term or permanent basis. Immigration: Movement INTO a place. Emigration: Movement FROM a place.

Terminology External Migration: Movement across country borders. Ex: Moving from Canada to the Australia. Internal Migration: Movement within a country’s borders. Ex: Moving from Kingston to Vancouver.

Why Do People Migrate? Migration can either be voluntary or involuntary… Forced migration involves one group of people causing another group to move. Voluntary migration involves a migrant making their own decision (whether rational or not) to relocate.

Forced Migration A prime example of forced migration is the Atlantic slave trade. Tens of millions of Africans were taken (unwillingly) from their homes and sent to South America, the Caribbean, and North America to be used as slaves.

Atlantic Slave Trade Huge numbers of people lost their lives during travel or were sold into slavery upon arrival. Estimates of the number of people sold run anywhere from 12 million to 30 million - there is no way to really know the true number.

Atlantic Slave Trade The impact of this forced migration can still be seen today… African cultural influences still exist in parts of Brazil. Some African civilizations were lost in transition. Indigenous populations in the Caribbean have diminished as the majority of people are now African-Caribbean.

Other Examples… Convicts were shipped from Britain to Australia (approx. 1788-1838). Canadian government took land from Native groups and moved them to reserves (1800s). USSR (Stalin) forced non-Russians to move to Central Asia & Siberia (1920s, 1930s). Nazis forced Jewish people to move from controlled parts of Western Europe (WWII).

Forced Migration Today? Mostly takes the form of expelling or repatriating “illegal” immigrants. Ex: Hong Kong expels all Vietnamese immigrants, refugee or not. This process is called counter-migration.

Voluntary Migration Why people migrate is determined by a variety of factors, such as: Similarities between places - somewhere that has a taste of “home”. Flow of information - having the ability to remain connected with friends/family. Distance - generally places closer to “home” are more popular choices for relocation.

Push and Pull Factors When people make the choice to migrate, PUSH and PULL factors come into play… Push Factors: The conditions that help people decide to leave a place. Pull Factors: The conditions that attract people to move to a place.

Push or Pull?

Push! War and armed conflict usually encourage people to move OUT of a place.

Push or Pull?

Pull! Access to education is a key reason for migration. To many people, education equates to higher earning potential and an economically stable future.

Push or Pull?

Pull! Regardless of whether or not migrants can make a decent living, the potential for opportunity is there.

Push or Pull?

Push! Famine is a definite push factor - it is life-threatening!

Economic Conditions Poverty drives many people to move. If people think they will have better opportunities elsewhere, they may choose to relocate. Western Europe and North America are both attractive regions due to their perceived economic advantages. Even though there are not necessarily “good” paying jobs for everyone, the perception is there is more money to be had and to be shared.

Political Conditions The type of political leader in power can play a huge role in migration. People flee regimes that they perceive to be extreme and/or dangerous. In 1975, communists took control of Vietnam, driving many people out.

War Conditions Many people flee countries engulfed in armed conflicts and wars. While this may seem forced, people decide to flee to remain safe. In the mid-1990s, more than 2 million Rwandans fled to neighboring countries to escape ethnic conflict.

Environmental Conditions Natural events, like earthquakes, volcanoes, drought, flooding, etc., can cause people to migrate, whether for short periods of time or permanently. The potato famine in Ireland in the 1840s, caused a significant number of Irish citizens to move to the New World; Hurricane Katrina caused many people to move to neighbouring states.

Cultural Conditions When people fear the loss of their cultural traditions due to a shift in politics, they may choose to relocate. When Britain divided India (predominantly Hindu) and Pakistan (predominantly Muslim), many Muslim Indians moved to Pakistan. Political conditions in South Africa in the mid-1990s caused many white people to move to Australia, Europe, and North America.

Technological Conditions Migration is no longer as difficult as it used to be; the length and safety of travel are now much improved. Long, hard boat rides are no longer necessary; now you can take a plane and be there in a matter of hours! Destination choices are no longer as influenced by distance and ability to communicate as they used to be. It is much easier to stay in contact with “home” with the help of the Internet.