Publications
- International Migration in Context: Migrant Types, Strategies and Outcomes
- Download: PDF 265.35 KB
- by Garip, Filiz
- This paper explores types of migrants from Mexico to the United
States in the period 1970-2000. Prior work analyzes the distinctions
between migrants and non-migrants and suggests a number of theories
that explain migration behavior. While each theory uncovers a
different facet of migration flows, no single theory is able to capture
the complexity of individuals’ migration choices. Furthermore, focusing
on what distinguishes migrants from non-migrants, prior research
effectively treats migrants as a homogenous group, assuming that they
respond to changes in the migration context in the same way. This
paper develops a context-dependent model of migration and argues
that variations in the social, economic and political context of sending
and receiving regions create different conditions for migrating. These
conditions are heightened or lessened by migrants’ demographic characteristics
and family networks. Hence, together all these elements help
identify different types or strategies of migrants. A cluster analysis,
informed by theories of migration, finds five distinct types of migrants
from Mexico to the United States: network migrants (those who follow
family or community migrants), income-maximizing migrants (those
who seek to increase their income), risk-diversifying migrants (those
who migrate to diversify their sources of income), push migrants (those
who migrate to escape worsening economic conditions in Mexico), and
pull migrants (those who take advantage of favorable migrating conditions
to the U.S.). The relative presence and dominance of each
migrant type follows a clear time pattern, signifying critical changes
in the Mexican-U.S. migration context. Moreover, migrant types seem to influence several outcomes (legal or illegal entry, subsequent trips,
length of stay), and lead to specific predictions not foreseen by the
theories of migration. These results not only provide novel insights
into the migration process between Mexico and the U.S., but they also
show that different theories about why individuals migrate may each
be correct in different contexts. Future research should focus on the
interrelations among different theories of migration, and identify the
specific contexts under which different ideas work.
- Publication Type: WCFIA Working Paper
- Published Date: September 20, 2007
- Field of Interest: Global Issues
- Garip, Filiz. "International Migration in Context: Migrant Types, Strategies and Outcomes." Working Paper 2008-0051, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, September 20, 2007.
