What is migration?
The definition of human migration is the movement of people from one place to another with the intention of moving to a safer or more economically and politically sustainable environment. There are 4 different types of migration including: migration, invasion, conquest, colonization and immigration.
| There are many reasons for humans to migrate, they may migrate individually or with their family or other members within their community. There are many factors that can encourage people to migrate in these divisions: social, economic, environmental and political. However, the main idea of migration is the idea of being able to move to another country where there is a higher chance of having a better quality of life and standard of living. The definition of quality of life is your measure of happiness and how satisfied you are with your life, whereas standard of living is defined as having a certain degree of wealth and material comfort available to a certain person/a community, in simpler words the sustainability of the amount of income you earn. |
Political reasons for migration
- Many people choose to migrate from countries under the rule of corrupt governments. Corruption is a real issue in society nowadays, many people argue that every country has a degree of corruption within their parliament however, it is more evident in some countries more than others. Corruption can include bribery and embezzlement. Denmark, New Zealand and Finland were concluded to be the least corrupt countries in the world published in January 2020 by the 2019 CPI. In comparison to South Sudan, which is established as one of the most corrupted countries in the world due to its constant economic crises.
- Many people living in South Sudan may choose to migrate to go into a safer country, as corruption within the government can lead to a lot of conflict and violence, by moving they will have a better quality of life as they can live in less fear and feel more comforted.
Environmental reasons for migration
- As global warming worsens, the chances of flooding increases. Many people especially those living on smaller islands may decide to move into bigger islands or other countries due to the fear of natural hazards. Male is the capital of the Maldives, over the recent years smaller islands in the Maldives have been getting flooded and there has been evidence showing that the shore has been receding over 30m. As the sea temperatures get warmer, corals have now started bleaching meaning they have no source of natural protection meaning they are more prone to flooding. Many people may choose to migrate as many may lose their homes due to poor infrastructure
Economic reasons for migration
- One of the main reasons for migration economically is the fact of job competition. Some may be found living in a very densely populated area, for example the UK especially in London. England is the most densely populated country within the whole of Europe, going to other countries to seek work opportunities is definitely heard of nowadays.
- Some countries may not pay as well as others for certain fields. For example, doctors in the US earn more money than doctors in the UK with the main reason being due to the private healthcare however, many would want to move to better support their families for example.
Social reasons for migration
- Could be due to personal goals, moving somewhere to where you have always dreamt of
- Being closer to family or a loved one, this can really increase your quality of life and also saves money as you won’t have to travel to always see them.
