Directions in Migration Research

Abstract

Large and sudden migrations occurred at many stages in human history, but the combination of increased longevity, declining fertility rates, and aging of populations have no counterpart. Although much longer in the making—modern urbanization began in the late eighteenth century in England—the degree of global urbanization, which passed the 50% mark only around 2010, is also without historical precedent and has not yet run its course. Because of these changes, today migration is a major driver of demographic change in developed as well as in developing economies. The most dramatic new migrations are responses to changes in economic, social, political, and environmental conditions and are continuously evolving and often rapidly changing. In this chapter, we argue that this type of migration should be a research priority for the next half century.