Migration Destination Research Articles

Asylum Seekers Integration and Policies in Istanbul from The Perspective of Legal Sociology

Türkiye, a major destination for global migration, particularly due to its proximity to conflict regions and the European Union, attracts a diverse range of migrants. Many asylum seekers, particularly in Istanbul, are not temporary, preferring the city for its job opportunities, social diversity, and relative safety. Migration to Istanbul comes from the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, creating cultural clashes, identity loss, and political tensions. This study explores how well migrants integrate into society and assesses policy responses in İstanbul. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 Syrians about their integration, alongside consultations with 5 policy-making institutions to understand their strategies. Results show that Syrians have not fully integrated, often aiming to move to Europe, struggling with language, limited education access, and maintaining isolated communities. This study contributes to the sociology of law by analyzing migration through both legal and sociological lenses.

Educational Responses to Local and Migration Destination Shocks: Evidence from China

Abstract Over the last 20 years, China has experienced substantial positive shocks to export-oriented industries—especially following its accession to the World Trade Organization—and these shocks have had major implications for human capital investment. One primary channel through which export expansion can shape choices about human capital accumulation is positive labor-demand shocks, and these shocks can be observed both at potential within-country migration destinations and in the locality of birth. Exploiting cross-county variation in the reduction in export tariff uncertainty post-WTO, both locally and at plausible migration destinations, this analysis finds that youth in China reaching matriculation age post-accession in counties experiencing a larger export shock (either locally or at those destinations) show a lower probability of enrolling in high school. This pattern is observed in a sample including both youth who ultimately migrate and youth who do not migrate. For urban youth, the effects of local shocks are larger than the effects of destination shocks, but the opposite pattern is observed for rural youth.

Investigating the resilience and challenges of informal street traders in South Africa's tourism sector: a focus on migrant entrepreneurship

ABSTRACT Selling products and services to tourists is often the main or sole source of income for local and migrant informal traders participating in the tourism sector in developing countries. However, they are vulnerable to exogenous shocks, with the COVID-19 pandemic a recent example. During COVID-19, international travel and domestic movement bans affected the livelihoods of many local and migrant informal traders, with the absence of government support exacerbating the plight of migrant traders in particular. This study provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by informal traders in three of South Africa’s main tourist cities against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a concurrent mixed-methods approach, the study explores how migrant and non-migrant entrepreneurs navigated the crisis. This research not only highlights the critical role of resilience and other survival strategies for especially migrant traders but also offers practical implications for the recognition of their resilience and the contribution of both local and migrant traders to job creation withing the realms of the informal tourism sector. This study extends resilience theory by applying it within the socio-economic context of the tourism sector of an important migration destination on the African continent.

Forced displacement and the healthcare workforce crisis: Venezuelan healthcare workers in Peru

Abstract Background The migration of healthcare workforces tends to be economically based benefiting high income countries, while draining lower-income countries of workers and skills. However, national instability or civil conflict may also have the effect of forcing out health workers. Few articles focus on the experiences of these types of migrants. This study aims to close a gap in the migration debate by exploring the capacity of integrating displaced healthcare workers in middle-to-low resourced health systems, using Peru as a case study. Methods The study draws on a policy analysis, statistical data and expert information from Peru. Results Peru has become the second largest Latin American destination for Venezuelan forced displaced migrants, a number of which are healthcare workers. While the exact numbers of these workers is unknown, it is estimated that 4,000 and 3,000 physicians and about 2,500 nurses and health technicians from Venezuela reside in Peru. These workers find entry into the heath system difficult due to bureaucratic and costly registration and qualification validation procedures. However, during Covid-19 the conditions were relaxed, and a large number of these workers entered the healthcare workforce. They were primarily physicians and worked in urban medical facilities, though there was some distribution across the country’s departments. This avenue to the healthcare workforce allowed the mobilisation of dormant health skills and assisted to lift density numbers. Conclusions Peru’s experiences bring into focus the potential benefits of mobilising new resources through integrating displaced healthcare worker migrants. It is too early to assess the sustainability of these policies on the country’s healthcare workforce and its Universal Health Coverage goals, yet there seem to be some positive experiences. Speakers/Panelists Tomas Zapata WHO/Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark

International migration and the advent of a new demographic era

AbstractThe paper explores whether international migration is linked to currently decreasing levels of fertility in high birth rates countries, thereby to the advent of a stage of population degrowth at the world's level. Methodology is in two steps. First, a global dataset is assembled comprising 13 variables for each country. For the country itself: emigrant stock, total fertility rate, girls' enrolment rate, women's labour force participation, global gender gap, and income per capita; for a fictitious average region of destination of migrants originating from this specific country, the last six variables. In the second step, links between origin and destination countries in terms of fertility levels and determinants are analysed using bivariate correlations. A remarkable fact emerges, namely national levels of fertility and their determinants vary quasi perfectly parallel at both ends of international migration corridors. Fertility at origin is not correlated to any phenomenon as much as to fertility, girls' school enrolment and gender equity at destination. Three complementary hypotheses explaining this apparently puzzling fact are discussed: transmission of norms by migrants; cultural similarities at both ends of migrant corridors; and congruency between the global diffusion of norms and the global migration of people. The conclusion highlights the original contribution of the paper, both to the demographic discipline (migration should also be dealt with as a remote determinant of fertility) and political debates on migration (erecting barriers to migration works against the preservation of earth).

Migration and mobilisation in New York during the First World War

ABSTRACT This article examines the impact of the First World War on immigration into New York from 1914 into the 1920s. From the nineteenth century onwards, New York had become the destination for global migration as individuals sought to settle in the city or the wider United States. Millions had passed through the immigration points in New York by the beginning of the twentieth century but the outbreak of war in 1914 suddenly brought this flow to a halt. Naval blockades, restrictions on civilian movement and mobilisation of economies in Europe ended what had been one of the most significant migration routes in modern human history. The impact on the city of this curtailment brought fear and anxiety to the streets. New York’s population was overwhelmingly made up of first or second-generation immigrants in 1914 and a concern that the war could be ‘exported’ to the United States through New York created anti-immigrant concern amongst the city and federal authorities. This created a wartime culture in New York that – at least for the duration of the conflict – removed its status as a city of immigrants and instilled a sense that the metropolis should be remade as ‘American’.

KELOMPOK MUSIK CV. BINTANG GRUP: MEDIA MERAWAT IDENTITAS ADAT BATAK MELALUI MUSIK DI SOLO RAYA

Migration is an activity that has become a tradition for the Batak people. The migration destinations extend beyond the island, one of which is in the Solo Raya area. The identity of the Batak community remains preserved during migration because their original customs and culture continue to be an integral part of their daily lives. The purpose of this journal is to explore the cultural life of the Batak community and the steps they have taken to preserve their traditional identity through music, specifically through CV. Bintang Group. The research method used in this journal is qualitative, collecting data through observation, interviews, literature studies, and several other methods. The findings indicate that the Batak community, represented by CV. Bintang Group, has successfully preserved their traditional identity through various means. These include teaching Batak music to their children, participat ing in cultural events outside of traditional Batak ceremonies, possessing a complete set of traditional Batak instruments, and being active on social media. The conclusion of this research is that the Batakcommunity has successfully maintained their traditional identity even while living in distant lands.

Utilizing Digital Mapping Technologies to Analyze the Characteristics of the Population of Ramadi City: Patterns and Trends

This study aims to employ digital mapping technologies to analyze the characteristics of the population of Ramadi city. Demographic data were collected from official sources and analyzed using digital mapping tools to provide a comprehensive overview of population distribution, population density, and growth rates in the city. The population of Ramadi city in 2022 was approximately 25,770, with the Othman bin Affan district being the most populous, with 31,703 residents. Population distribution was represented using dot maps to illustrate the numerical distribution of the population across different neighborhoods. The population density in the city was 55.3 persons per hectare, with Al-Khansaa district having the highest population density at 210.1 persons per hectare. Population density was represented using choropleth maps to highlight differences between neighborhoods. The population growth rate was 3.1% for the city of Ramadi. The western neighborhoods of the city, which experienced the highest growth rates of 8% and 7.5%, were the main destination for internal migration from other neighborhoods, significantly affecting population distribution and density. The study concluded that the use of digital mapping technologies provides effective tools for analyzing and interpreting demographic patterns, contributing to improved urban planning and equitable distribution of services across neighborhoods.

Childhood, Migration and the Pursuit of Happiness in MIDDLE‐CLASS EAST ASIA

ABSTRACTThis special issue explores the shifting landscape of global middle‐class migration within and from East Asia by taking the relationship between mobility, parenting ideals and changing educational desires as its focus. Contributions explore how East Asian middle‐class families balance the emergent emphasis on their children's well‐being with the demands of global competitiveness as these often‐antagonistic desires are projected onto old and new migration destinations against the background of global geopolitical and economic power shifts. Instead of reifying the simplistic binary of hierarchical, achievement‐oriented East Asian ‘Confucian educational norms’ versus democratic, well‐being‐focussed Western ideals, the contributions offer a nuanced understanding of how these educational ideals coexist within the social, cultural, political and economic contexts of families. By carefully assessing the dialectically entwined intimate experiences of parents and children, the articles collected here set out to broaden our understanding of how middle‐class families in Singapore, South Korea, Japan and China attempt to negotiate the tension between prioritizing children's happiness and maintaining global competitiveness result in a variety of strategies from migrating to less obvious international destinations to crafting domestic alternatives. Taken together, the articles reveal consistent patterns of middle‐class migration and child‐rearing decisions that contest and reshape conventional notions of success, attesting to a shift in global middle‐class migration trends and to the importance of child‐rearing in migratory decisions.

The Relationship Between Turkey’s Available Freshwater Resources and Migration in the Light of Falkenmark and Shiklomanov Indicators

In the current period when climate change begins to reshape the world and people, Turkey is also affected by this change both in terms of climate and society. Due to both political and natural reasons, Türkiye has been exposed to intense immigration in recent years. The country, which was only a transit route in the past, has now become the final destination of migration. Turkey, which has a naturally growing population structure, has had another sudden growth factor brought about by immigration. Accordingly, Turkey's natural resources that will sustain life and economic activity have come under increasing pressure. These resources include water resources. The research question of the study is "Can Turkey's available freshwater resources withstand the population pressure that grows with intense migration in the future?" and the study tested the hypothesis that "Turkey's available freshwater resources cannot withstand the pressure of intense migration". As a result, even if Turkey's available freshwater resources continue to be under pressure in the future as they are now, the country's natural population growth will not push the country's resources below the water scarcity limit. However, it has been determined that major deviations in population due to intense migration will push the country's resources below the water scarcity limit in the future.

Assessing the Impacts of Migration on Land Degradation in the Savannah Region of Nigeria

Migration-induced land degradation is a challenging environmental issue in Sub-Saharan Africa. The need for expansion due to urban development has raised the question of effective sustainable measures. Understanding migration and land degradation links is paramount for sustainable urban development and resource use. This is particularly true in Nigeria, where elevated migration levels frequently result in accelerated land degradation due to urban expansion. Given the need to understand the impact of migration on land degradation in the Savannah Region of Nigeria (SRN), this study introduces a novel approach by integrating remote sensing data (NDVI, NDBI) with local community perceptions (mixed-methods approach) to assess the impact of migration on land degradation in four migration destination communities located in two local government areas (LGAs) (Sabon Gari East and Sabon Gari West of Fagge LGA; Zuba and Tungamaje of Gwagwalada LGA). We conducted focus group discussions and a semi-structured survey with 360 household heads to obtain a comprehensive view of perceptions. Our findings revealed that 41.1% and 29.5% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that migration significantly contributes to land degradation. We analysed the spatiotemporal patterns of the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Normalised Difference Built-Up Index (NDBI) acquired from Landsat 8 datasets for 2014 to 2023. While increasing NDBI values were observed in all communities, a slight decrease in NDVI was noted in Sabon Gari East and Tungamaje. Our analyses highlighted activities leading to land degradation such as land pressure due to built-up expansion at Sabon Gari East, Sabon Gari West, and Tungamaje, and deforestation at Zuba. Based on the varying challenges of migration-induced land degradation, we recommend adequate community participation in suggesting targeted interventions and policies to foster various adaptive capacities and sustainable environments within SRN communities and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Descendants of the dragon: racialized mixed Chineseness in immigrant China

ABSTRACT Following China’s rise as an economic powerhouse, the country’s immigrant population has quickly increased and diversified, leading to an increase in romantic relationships between foreign and Chinese citizens. This article analyzes the racialization of belonging and citizenship of Chinese nationals born into Chinese-foreign families living in China. Drawing on data gathered through analyzing online debates and media reports, supplemented by interviews and fieldwork observations, the article investigates how discussions about the identity of vloggers, pop stars, and athletes of mixed Chinese-foreign descent shed light on rising Chinese racial nationalism at a time when China has become a destination for international migration and a new frontier for racial knowledge production. We argue that this process is characterized by a tension between China’s emergence as an immigrant society and the hardening boundaries of its national identity.

Determinants of Intra-City Residential Migration Patterns of Older Adults: A GIS and Decision Tree Analysis of Yancheng City, China

This study investigates the spatial patterns of residential migration among older adults in the city center of Yancheng and the influencing factors using data on the home purchases of individuals aged 65 and older from 2016 to 2018, along with peripheral point of interest (POI) data, analyzed with ArcGIS and a decision tree model. The results indicated that persons aged 60–65 accounted for 42.8% of the total sample and primarily chose to migrate in the early stages of retirement. The intra-city migration of older adults exhibits both centripetal and centrifugal patterns, with a greater tendency toward the city center. House prices, floor levels, and commercial facilities significantly impact their choice of migration destinations. Among these, house prices were the most critical determinant, with the majority of older adults migrating to neighborhoods with lower house prices. This study contributes by integrating residential migration and location choice research and constructing an analytical framework based on facility accessibility. The findings provide insights into the key determinants of location choice for intra-city residential migration among older adults and the construction of livable neighborhoods for them.

Social Media and ‘Japa’ Syndrome: Exploring the Roles of Online Platforms in Shaping Migration Trends

Social media platforms have emerged as influential players in shaping japa trends, offering a dynamic space where individuals explore, discuss, and navigate migration pathways. By providing unprecedented access to information, facilitating networking and connections, showcasing aspirational lifestyles, and amplifying migration narratives, social media platforms exert a significant influence on individuals’ migration trajectories. In the light of the above, this study examines social media and japa syndrome by exploring the roles of online platforms in shaping migration trends. The study was anchored on the uses and gratification theory, and data were collected using the desk research method. Findings reveal that social media has significantly altered the landscape of communication and information dissemination globally, including Nigeria. The study also reveals that online platforms play a crucial role in shaping migration trends and aspirations by influencing individuals’ perceptions, providing access to information, and facilitating connections with diaspora communities and potential destinations. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that online platforms should implement robust mechanisms to verify the accuracy and credibility of migration-related information shared on their platforms. This can involve partnering with reputable organizations such as international agencies, academic institutions, and government bodies to ensure that users have access to reliable and up-to-date information about migration processes, policies, and destinations.

Rural migrants in urban centers: Sources of vulnerability or agents of adaptive capacity?

Research on climate migration is increasingly analyzing not only the role of climate as a migration driver but also migration's adaptive and maladaptive outcomes. However, despite broad recognition that climate-related migration is overwhelmingly rural-to-urban, migration's effects on the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of the receiving urban destinations, many of which struggle to adapt to climate change, have received scant attention. To begin addressing this gap, this study examines how urban planners and policymakers in flood-prone Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's main migration destination and Africa's fastest-growing metropolis, perceive these effects. To this end, we utilize semi-structured interviews to examine three interrelated dimensions: migration's effects on flooding, the potential responses to ameliorate its adverse effects, and migrants' capabilities and the ways the city can harness those capabilities to reduce flooding.The results show that most planners and policymakers view migration as mainly exacerbating flooding yet also perceive migrants as possessing the potential to contribute to urban adaptation. This potential encompasses aspects recognizing migrants' agency, such as adaptation knowledge and planning skills, alongside ‘physical-economic’ elements linked with the use of migrants as labor for maintaining drainage channels and their contribution to enlarging the city's tax base, which may assist in funding flood-prevention infrastructure. However, the results also point to Dar es Salaam's inaction to exploit this potential, accompanied by a perceived lack of responsibility for advancing adaptation. We conclude by highlighting the importance of adopting a proactive approach to mapping and harnessing migrants' capabilities, ultimately contingent on cities' willingness to assume this responsibility.

An Approach to Analyzing Migration Flow and House Price Data: Exploring Spatial Linkages between Flow, Price, Distance, Age at the Local Level

This paper is intended to elucidate the efficacy of employing a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) methodology to investigate the spatial interrelations among migration flows, housing prices, age demographics, and geographical distances. Utilizing data on migration flows and housing prices from Greater Manchester, UK, in 2011, in this study, we performed statistical analyses and generated a suite of visual mappings to illustrate the spatial dynamics between migration patterns, distances, age brackets, and the segmentation of migration destinations by housing price tiers. The findings reveal pronounced spatial associations among migration destinations, underscored by the interplay of housing price levels with age categories, distance intervals, or the origination points tied to specific housing price ranges. This GIS-based analytical framework offers policy-makers and urban planners a powerful tool for discerning distinct migration trends and locales, thereby facilitating more informed decision-making processes.

There and back again: dynamics of temporary labor migration, insights from rural India.

Temporary labor migration is a household phenomenon among rural communities in India. This study seeks to understand the subjective experiences influencing the temporariness of labor migration among internal migrants in India by examining various factors such as migration conditions, motivation, migration arrangements, coping and adaptation strategies, and determinants of stay. To achieve this objective, the current qualitative study utilized 14 in-depth interviews and 2 focus group discussions to investigate the temporary nature of labor migration among internal migrants in India. Our findings reveal that migration decisions are rational choices made collectively at the household level, considering socio-economic outcomes. We also find that social networks and contractors facilitate migration arrangements and job connections, and migrants employ various strategies to reduce costs and cope with expenses in urban areas. However, migration destinations often fail to meet migrants' expectations, exposing them to low-wage employment and precarious working and living conditions, which are detrimental to their health. Limited housing and sanitation facilities further contribute to the challenges faced by migrants. Work conditions, including poor wages and high job demands, also affect their well-being. These findings highlight the need for improved support systems that address accommodation challenges, work conditions, and the overall welfare of labor migrants.

Broad-scale seasonal climate tracking is a consequence, not a driver, of avian migratory connectivity.

Tracking climatic conditions throughout the year is often assumed to be an adaptive behaviour underlying seasonal migration patterns in animal populations. We investigate this hypothesis using genetic markers data to map migratory connectivity for 27 genetically distinct bird populations from 7 species. We found that the variation in seasonal climate tracking across our suite of populations at a continental scale is more likely a consequence, rather than a direct driver, of migratory connectivity, which is primarily shaped by energy efficiency-i.e., optimizing the balance between accessing available resources and movement costs. However, our results also suggest that regional-scale seasonal precipitation tracking affects population migration destinations, thus revealing a potential scale dependency of ecological processes driving migration. Our results have implications for the conservation of these migratory species under climate change, as populations tracking climate seasonally are potentially at higher risk if they adapt to a narrow range of climatic conditions.

Governance and obstacles in the reception and social and labour integration of asylum seekers in Spain

Changes in migratory flows have transformed Spain from a country of emigration to one of the main destinations for international migration. And it has also become one of the most important European countries in the reception of asylum seekers and refugees in the last decade. With an unprepared reception system, the State has faced this challenge by decentralising socio-labour integration responsibilities to third sector entities. This article aims to analyse the institutional approach to the management and integration of asylum seekers, studying changes in the management of the reception and integration system for this group. Through documentary analysis and descriptive statistics, we observe a greater streamlining of certain processes, particularly after the arrival of asylum seekers from Ukraine in 2022. However, structural deficiencies remain, hindering the processes of matching labour supply and demand.

Impact of migrants on communicable diseases in Thailand

BackgroundWhile foreign migrants contribute to economic development, they may impact public health by transmitting communicable diseases to the local population. With its geopolitical position, Thailand has been a primary destination for migrants from neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia and beyond. This positioning makes it a focal point for examining the complexities of migration dynamics and its implications for public health. Through a quantitative analysis, this paper investigates the influence of foreign migrants on physical health issues in Thailand, exploring their impact on various types of communicable diseases. The utilization of provincial-level data from Thailand offers insights into the localized effects of migrant populations on public health within the country. These insights can serve as a valuable resource for researchers and policymakers who conduct comparative analyses, facilitating a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between international migration and public health worldwide.MethodsA spatial panel autoregressive model (SAR) is applied on the provincial level communicable diseases and socio-economic data in Thailand from the period 2016 to 2021.ResultsThe results indicate that the influence of foreign migrants on communicable diseases in Thailand varies depending on the type of disease. While an increase in migrants correlates with a higher prevalence of respiratory and other communicable diseases, it conversely reduces the prevalence of vaccine-preventable diseases. Additionally, we found that migrants do not significantly impact the prevalence of food- and water-borne diseases, insect-borne diseases, animal-borne diseases, or sexually transmitted diseases in Thailand. Additionally, other factors, such as GPP per capita, unemployment, poverty, and technology access, strongly correlate with most types of communicable diseases.ConclusionAs revealed by this study, the increase in migrants leads to a rise in respiratory and other communicable diseases, as well as a decrease in vaccine-preventable diseases, which carries significant policy implications. These results urge policymakers, the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry of Public Health to implement tailored policies and measures to enhance public health and effectively mitigate the risk of communicable diseases transmitted by migrants in the future.