Migration

The study of migration examines the movement of people across space — its causes, patterns, and consequences for origins and destinations.

Scope

It covers internal and international migration, theories of migration, immigrant incorporation, and the demographic and social effects of mobility.

Core questions

• Why do people migrate?
• What patterns does migration follow?
• How do migrants incorporate into destinations?
• What are the effects of migration on origins and destinations?

Key concepts

• Push and pull factors
• Distance decay
• Step migration
• Migration selectivity
• Internal vs international migration
• Immigrant incorporation

Key theories

The laws of migration

Ravenstein derived empirical regularities (e.g., distance decay, step migration) from census data.

Push-pull theory

Lee systematized migration as a function of origin and destination factors, intervening obstacles, and personal factors.

History

Migration study began with Ravenstein's empirical laws and Lee's push-pull framework, developing through neoclassical, network, and transnational theories of mobility.

Debates

What drives migration?

Whether migration is best explained by economic incentives, networks, or structural and household strategies.

Key figures

• Ernst Ravenstein
• Everett Lee

Seminal works

• ravenstein-1885
• lee-1966

Frequently asked questions

What are push and pull factors?

Conditions that drive people from an origin (push) and attract them to a destination (pull), central to migration theory.