Migration Flashcards
(16 cards)
Why is migration so complicated?
Multiple definitions and processes: Migration isn’t just one thing—it’s labor migration, forced displacement, internal movement, transnational migration, etc.
Why is migration so highly politicised?
Highly politicized: Different political ideologies and global inequalities shape how we define and treat migration.
WHy is the relationship between migration and development so complicated?
Movement is a constant in human history, not a crisis or anomaly.Development causes mobility: For example, the Green Revolution led to large-scale agrarian change, which pushed people to migrate—mobility is part of development
How are migration and development interconnected?
Migration → Development? Migrants send remittances, invest in education, housing, health.But also causes problems like brain drain, social inequalities, and exploitation.
Development → Migration? Development can increase people’s ability to migrate (called the “migration hump”).It doesn’t always reduce migration—in some cases it enables it.
Why is migration pathologies?
Migration often framed as a “problem” in the Global North, seen as invasion or threat.This is tied to colonial legacies, racism, and fear-based politics (e.g., Islamophobia, Eurocentrism).
Whta is epistemic coloniality?
Knowledge about migration is often dominated by perspectives from the Global North.
How is migration intrinsically linked to colonial history?
Colonialism caused massive displacement, enslavement, forced labor, and settler migration. Today’s migration flows (e.g., from South to North) are shaped by that history. Also affects whose migration is considered “normal” or “legitimate.”
Bastisa (2014) perspective on migration
Migration requires resources. It’s shaped by intersectional factors: gender, class, race, religion
what is internal migration?
More people move within countries or regions than across continents.Often overlooked in policy discussions that focus on international migration.
What are remittances?
Money sent home by migrants—hugely important for households and economies. Can increase inequality (e.g., only certain households benefit). Often viewed as a “development fix” by governments (e.g., Colombia’s Mi Casa con Remesas). Part of the neoliberalization of development—individuals take responsibility, not states.
Migrations and displacement today - eplulsions (Sassen)
People are not just “migrating”—they’re being expelled by structural forces: capitalism, environmental degradation, war, land grabs.
What is an example of sasses explosion migration?
Syrians didn’t just “choose” to migrate — they were expelled by intersecting forces: war, environmental collapse, neoliberal economic policies, and militarised capitalism.
Expulsion of Syrians - War and Geopolitics
The Syrian civil war, fueled by regional and global powers, forced over 13 million Syrians to flee their homes.
Bombings, chemical attacks, and repression left entire cities uninhabitable.
Expulsion of Syrians - 💰 2. Global Capitalism & Arms Trade
The conflict was intensified by international arms sales and foreign intervention, part of broader global military-industrial interests.
Syria became a battleground for proxy conflicts driven by strategic and economic interests.
Expulsion of Syrians - 🌍 Environmental Degradation
Prior to the war, climate-related droughts from 2006 to 2010 devastated Syrian agriculture, displacing rural farmers into cities and worsening social tensions.
This environmental pressure, intensified by climate change, contributed to instability and food insecurity.
Expulsion of Syrians - 🌾 Land Grabs & Neoliberal Reforms
Economic policies pushed by the Assad regime (e.g., reducing subsidies, privatizing land) led to rural displacement and inequality.
These structural adjustments made the poor more vulnerable, setting the stage for unrest.
