Human migrations . People who move from one place to another and establish their residence temporarily or permanently in a new place of settlement. In other words, it is the transfer of residence, within or outside of borders. Human migration is much more than a source of new identities, because it constitutes one of the most relevant factors in the construction of the modern city, in the configuration of their social structures and diverse cultural environments, including spaces of inequality.
Summary
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- 1 Migrations and demographics.
- 2 Concepts and classification of human migrations
- 3 Human migrations in the 21st century, characteristics and basic trends
- 4 Human migration and international relations
- 5 Source
Migrations and demographics.
There is a relationship between population growth, the loss of young population, among other aspects, which are directly related to migration. There is an apparent contradiction between migration policies and the demographic reality in the receiving countries.
Between the years 1985 to 1990, the growth of the population in the world increased by 1.7% per year, while the total of those who migrate internationally grew by 2.59% per year. The impact it causes on the economic, social and even political life of the countries of emigration, as well as the tendency to multiply its origins and the consequences of immigration on the main receptors, as the population that migrates is concentrated in global cities, where they are points of convergence of political and economic power. They are human beings who contribute not only their work capacities, minor or major, qualified or not, they also carry their ideas, perceptions, beliefs, families, hopes and aspirations to achieve a future different from the present and perhaps to the history of their ancestors.
The evolution of demographic trends worldwide is an index in international migration, as it is a relevant factor in explaining the reasons that lead population groups in different regions and places to change their geographical setting. Countries with rapid demographic growth cannot, at times, increase the supply of employment to absorb the new labor force, regardless of other climatic and environmental phenomena that, in the conditions of backward countries, cause the migration of significant numbers of people . Demographic trends include the lower the greater the acceptance of immigrants and the impacts they produce in recipient countries.
The population changes due to births, deaths, and net migration. In general, in developing countries the migration rate is still low, if one takes into account that the number of nations is greater than the number of deaths. By contrast, given the low fertility levels prevailing in the more developed regions, net migration has become the main driver of population growth.
At the end of the first half of the 21st century, the world population was 6 540.3 million people, reflecting an accelerated growth mainly in the most backward countries, where there are 5 325.8 million inhabitants. Estimates of the world population for the next 25 years indicate figures close to eight thousand five hundred million, which, together with the levels of environmental pollution and the depletion of energy resources, endangers life on the planet, with particular impacts in areas with less economic and social development. Economic insecurity is the potential cause of the existence of migrant flows in countries with the worst living conditions. The explicit or not attempts, in migration policies, to control and at the same time give preference to certain types of emigrants in the European Union ,Asia and North America , where increases in the birth rate are determined by the presence of the immigrant population. A dependence on immigration is established in a tactical way, which is structural, although in most cases it is not recognized by governments and the traditional spheres of power in these societies.
Crucial aspects of international migration affect young people, who are its direct protagonists. Migration represents a crisis scenario for the family, where women and children live in situations of high vulnerability, an increase in risks and the possibilities that their rights will be damaged, or their integrity is affected. In these cases, the upbringing of children is strongly impacted due to economic instability, uncertainty about the family future, school difficulties generated by different socialization, among other high-risk factors.
As we have seen, the interrelationships between migrations and the context in which they occur are infinite. The latter prints its causes and features; but at the same time it receives the influence, often revolutionary, of human movements. For this reason, migration cannot be isolated from its environment; nor the human history of migration.
Concepts and classification of human migrations
The variety and complexity of the study of the problem addressed determine the multiple classification criteria that are established temporally and spatially: according to their causes (economic, political, environmental), at the level of voluntariness (voluntary or forced), place of destination, role of the state among others.
The concept of human migration includes all types of change of residence. Within this framework, the action of migrating includes all those people who move from one place to another and establish their residence temporarily or permanently in a new place of settlement. In other words, it is the transfer of residence, within or outside the borders. Current migratory patterns have put this definition in crisis, to a certain extent, mainly due to the transnational nature of migratory movements. However, the change of residence still remains an essential aspect that defines migration.
Internal migration includes the movement of the population from one area to another within the borders of the same country, temporarily or permanently. On the other hand, international migration includes the movements of people who cross the border of their country of origin to settle in another, temporarily or permanently.
There are many terms and definitions established to study and designate various types of migration, taking into account the causes, the level of voluntariness, state policies, and so on.
Among the most used definitions are:
• Voluntary migration. Movement of people or groups of people who move their place of residence of their own free will, mainly to improve their living conditions.
• Forced migration. It includes those who are forced to abandon their places of residence due to natural disasters, development projects, asylum seekers and displaced persons.
• Economic migration. It is one in which the individual or group of people -economic migrant- seeks means of subsistence or opportunities to improve their socioeconomic conditions. In recent decades, millions of people had to leave their places of origin for economic reasons, to move to other places where they could survive, which has given a forced hue to certain economic movements.
• Migration of temporary work (guest workers-workers hired overseas). Men and women who migrate for a limited period of time (a few months or several years) to work and send remittances home. In this case, almost generally a contract is established between the person and the government of the receiving country, or between the governments of the sending and receiving countries.
• Business experts and migrants. Highly qualified people (Executives, professionals, technicians, etc.) who work in the labor market of transnational corporations and international organizations. In most cases it is a temporary migration.
• Refugee. Anyone who qualifies for that status, this includes the millions of people affected by wars. In many conflict situations, mainly in Third World countries, it is difficult to distinguish between people fleeing due to personal persecution or the destruction of the economic and social infrastructure necessary to survive.
• Environmental refugees. It includes people who are forced to leave their places of origin due to environmental catastrophes.
• Displaced persons (internally displaced persons). People who are forced to move within the national territory by traumatic events, such as wars, natural catastrophes, among others.
• Irregular immigrants (undocumented or illegal) People who enter a country, generally in search of employment, but do not have the necessary documents or legal permission to remain in it.
• Family Reunification. Migration that takes place in order to unite people with relatives who previously settled legally in the receiving countries. In many cases, when reunification is not authorized, new immigrants enter illegally.
• Remittance. The money that immigrants send to relatives in their countries of origin.
•Brain stealing . Those highly qualified people who migrate. In many cases, the governments of industrialized countries have official programs that facilitate the entry of these people. It also happens with athletes and artists.
The concept of substitute migration refers to international migrations that will be necessary to offset the decline of the population, especially of working age. Trafficking in persons has been defined as the facilitation of the illegal entry of a person into a State of which said person is not a national or permanent resident in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit. Trafficking in persons consists of using, for one’s own benefit and in an abusive way, the qualities of a person. The goal is the exploitation of the person. The means to carry out these actions are the threat or use of force or other coercion, kidnapping, fraud, deception, among others.
Human migrations in the 21st century, characteristics and basic trends
Current trends in emigration can be considered from the following elements. Globalization of migration, where more and more countries are affected by different migratory movements simultaneously. Acceleration of migration, growth in volumes in all major regions. Difference of types of migration. A broad spectrum is presented that includes labor migration, refugees, the undocumented, circular migration among other modalities. Growing politicization of migration, from the impact that migratory movements produce on national, regional, bilateral policies, and those of national security of the States.
Recent studies show that international migrants do not come primarily from poor and isolated places, disconnected from world markets. They come from regions and nations that are going through a process of accelerated changes, of greater or less development, as a result of their incorporation into the world trading system. It is interesting to see how the direction of population mobility has a counterpart in capital terms. Thus, while multinationals go to poorer countries in search of cheap labor, workers in these countries go in the opposite direction, in search of better wages and living conditions.
Human migration and international relations
In the international relations scenario, migrations increasingly adopt a global and interrelated character, where migratory flows correspond to such conditions at the universal, regional and local levels. The dependence of the labor force exporting countries on the trends of the world economy is expressed in the pre-affirmation of the labor force movements. The new international order or disorder has set off the alarm of migration, which places it among the main issues of political relations and international relations today. Different social sectors and public opinion demand from governments more effective political responses to the migratory event. Crime in a social issue that requires special attention,
The Emigration as a tool for socio – economic development. Poverty reduction, transfer of funds, co-development, transfer of skills. The resources and means to address root causes of migration related to development. The best ways to strengthen the links between migration policies and development policies.
The consequences for development of structural imbalances in national, regional and global labor markets. Emigration as an obstacle to socioeconomic development, theft of brains. The social aspects of emigration in the countries of origin and destination.
Emigration, development and security: Trafficking, trafficking and exploitation of human beings. The situations of migrants: human rights and, particularly, the rights of women and children, working conditions and the informal economy.
Alliances: governments, international organizations. The role played by civil society, the private sector, unions, banks, pension funds.
The development of capacities in the countries of origin, transit and destination. Regional processes and their contribution to emigration and development. Emigration models: long-term emigration or short-term economic emigration. The relationship between emigration and asylum. The gender dimension in emigration. The need for better statistical data.
Like internal conditions, international conditions permanently establish the modalities and limits of migration policies based on the political and economic situation and in this specific case, the relationship between states.
The presence of these foundations in migration policies has made them characterized according to the different relationship modalities: The contribution of international relations to the form of international migration. The influence of migration on the design of a country’s foreign policy objects. The projection in international relations of the migration laws and policies of the States. The role of economic policies in the relationship between foreign policy and immigration policy. Migratory explosions as a consequence of contradictions in international relations and the role of permanent or non-permanent migratory movements.