MIG - Migration Characteristics Lesson

Introduction to Migration, continued

Gravity Model of Spatial Interaction

  1. Compares the population of two cities and their distance to figure out the "pull"
    1. Larger places attract more people, ideas, etc.
    2. Places closer together have a greater attraction
  2. The "gravity" is determined by multiplying the population of city A by city B and then dividing by the distance between the two cities squared.

Population Equation Population 1 times Population 2 divided by Distance 2

Population Equation Links to an external site.

 

Reasons: Push and Pull Factors

Factors that impact migration include:

  1. Politics, economy, environment, culture, transportation, etc.
  2. Push factor , a reason to leave a location
  3. Pull factor , a reason to move to a location
    1. Most factors fall into one of these categories:
      • Economic
        1. Looking for better work opportunities
        2. Life course changes – i.e. starting a family, retiring
      • Cultural
        1. Normally focused on political conditions
      • Environmental ( Eco-migration )
        1. Based on "too much or too little"
        2. Water, sunshine, allergens, etc.

Migration Issues

  1. When migrants move, they do not always make the move in one stage, instead they go through step migration (leaving a certain location with an end destination, but stopping along the way to save money, locate new transportation, etc.)
  2. Occasionally migrants never make it to their original goal because of:
    1. Intervening obstacles , such as mountains or discrimination (Can be environmental or cultural)
    2. Intervening opportunities , such as a good job or acceptance, might cause a migrant to stay in the intermediate location

Distance of Migration

  1. International or external migration is movement from one country to another. (Global-Scale Migration)
    1. This is less frequent because it requires more resources and can be more difficult.
  2. International migration is either:
    1. Voluntary , based on better opportunities and free choice
    2. Forced , pushed to move because of cultural factors
      1. Political discord, war, racism, etc.
  3. Internal migration is the most frequent type and occurs within the borders of a nation.
  4. This can be either:
    1. Interregional or from one region to another (Northeast to South)
    2. Intraregional or within the same region (GA to SC)

Characteristics of Migrants

  1. Migration Selectivity is the prediction about which type of people will migrate
    1. Includes age, opportunity, family, etc.
    2. Most migrants are male (this was true through the 20th century – but now women account for 50% of immigrants)
      1. The number of women migrating is increasing because of changing gender roles
    3. Most migrants are young adults
    4. Most migrants are individual adults seeking work
      1. Exceptions can be seen when:
      2. Families follow after time has passed
      3. Children are brought for educational opportunities
      4. Wealthy people move for education or occupation

Migration Transition (Zelinsky)

  1. Wilbur Zelinksky noted migration patterns based on the Demographic Transition Model
  2. The Migration Transition Model is marked by:
    1. Stage 1 may have season or cyclic movement, but not migration
    2. Stage 2 will see the most migration
      1. People moving from farms to cities
      2. People moving internationally (from Stage 2 to Stage 3 and 4 nations)
    3. Stage 3 and 4 is made up of internal migration (within a nation)
      1. Suburbanization
      2. Counter-urbanization

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