Defining Return Migration

Abstract

The terminological sloppiness found in the relevant literature presents us with considerable difficulties in the study of return migration. One may come across return migration under the following headings: back migration, countercurrent, counterflow, re-emigration, reflux migration, remigration, return flow, return migration, return movement, second time migration and repatriation. There are various sources of confusion in this terminology due to the fact that most of these terms imply something more than the simple fact that the migrant goes back to his country of origin.