1. Migration

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

3. 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)

4. Global Migration

5. Three major push and pull factors Economic Cultural Environmental

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

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

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

9. 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

10. 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 20 th 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)

11. 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

12. Migration Transition Geographer Wilbur Zelinsky identified a “migration transtion”, 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