Theories of International Migration What are social theories? Social theories conceptualize causal processes of social phenomenon. Theories of International Migration conceptualize causal processes of how international migration is “initiated” and “maintained” or “perpetuated”.

The Initiation of International Migration Why does international migration begin? Different theories reflect different research objectives, focuses, interests. Theoretical Approach Level of Analysis Assumptions Neoclassical (macro) Country Migration as a result of labor market gaps between countries Neoclassical economics (micro) Individual Individual rational actors decide to migrate because a cost-benefit calculation. New Economics Household Individual migrants are influenced by household as a collective actor in economic survival Dual Labor Market Structural (Internal) Structural demands of developed countries World systems theory Structural (International) Market and cultural penetration from the core to peripherals

Neoclassical Economics: Combining Macro and Micro Propositions: International migration stems from international differentials in wages and opportunities. (macro-level) To maximize their human capital return, individuals who can have higher return to human capital in receiving countries are more likely to move internationally than others. When the cost of migration is lower, the possibility for potential migrants to move is higher. 2+3 explains the differential migration decisions between individuals within the same sending country.

The New Economics of Migration Proposition: Migration decisions are not made by isolated individual actors, but by larger units of related people, typically families or households, not only to maximize their income but also to minimize risks and constraints.

Dual Labor Market Theory (I): Point of Departure Point of departure from neoclassical and new economics: neoclassical and new economics analyze micro-level decisions, dual labor market theory argues that international migration stems from intrinsic labor demands of modern industrial societies. Main difference: Neoclassical and new economics focus on the supply of migrants and the dual labor market theory stresses the demand of receiving countries.

Dual Labor Market Theory (II) Propositions: People at developed societies faced motivational problems to enter the bottom of job hierarchy because there is no status in society and few channels for upward mobility. Such job vacancy creates demand for foreign workers who do not have the motivational problems because they do not expect bottom level jobs anything beyond means to earn money. Migration is usually initiated or pulled by recruitment on the part of employers in developed countries, or by governments acting as agents of employers.

World Systems Theory (I) Proposition: The penetration of capitalist economic relations into peripheral, non-capitalist societies creates a mobile population that is ready to migrate abroad. Migration is a natural outgrowth of disruptions and dislocations that occur in the process of capitalist development in developing countries. World system theory argues that international migration follows the expanding global markets.

World Systems Theory (II) Capitalist investment fosters changes that create an uprooted, mobile population in peripheral countries while at the same time forging strong material and cultural links with core countries, leading to international migration. International migration is especially likely between past colonial powers and the former colonies, because cultural, linguistic, investment, transportation, and communication links were established early.

The Perpetuation of International Movement Main focus: Once international migration begun, other new conditions come in to perpetuate migration across time and space. Although wage differentials, household strategies, demands in receiving countries, and global market penetration may continue to cause people to migrate, new conditions arise to function as independent causes. Different theories stress different conditions that make the migration decisions or situations independent of structural or individual factors that originally caused migration.

Perpetuation mechanisms make certain destinations as magnet attracting potential migrants from specific regions.

Theories of perpetuation Theoretical Approaches Focus of analysis Network theory Informal social connections connect current migrants, former migrants and potential migrants in sending and receiving countries Institutional theory Organizations that support, sustain, and promote international movement Cumulative causation Conditions that make subsequent migration inevitable, more likely, or easier.

Theories of International Migration To take a theoretical position that is open to: Analysis on every level, individual, household, networks, and international Different disciplinary assumptions and hypothesis Different perspectives within the same discipline.

“Current patterns and trends in immigration suggest that a full understanding of contemporary migratory processes will not be achieved by relying on the tools of one discipline alone, or by focusing on a single level of analysis.” (Massey et al, p.258)

Theoretical position of this course: Since different theories focus on different levels of analysis, they can not be assumed to be inherently incompatible with each other.