GREN 000/5236 - International Migration and Development (3 cr.)
Prerequisites
The course provides an overview of recent literature and debates concerned with the relationships between migration and development. Migration and development are related issues. On the one hand, development is a determinant of migration. International differentials in development, mainly economic (labor-, income- and capital-related), but also political (state- and society-related), will be reviewed. These elements apply at the sending end as push factors (underemployment and unemployment; poverty; poor access to welfare; low rewards to skills; poor governance, political or civil instability, etc.) and at the receiving end as pull factors (jobs availability; higher incomes; social security; higher education; networks of previous migrants; etc.). On the other hand, migration has an impact on development. International mobility of workers and their family members can work for, or against, development. Debates on the impact of development include the following:
Destination Countries:
Considering whether migrant workers compete with or complement local labor? Do they reduce or increase average incomes/wages? Contribute to or drain host country welfare services?
Origin Countries:
While migrant remittances provide for better housing, education and health of families left behind, their impact on the local and national economy is much debated. Do they boost production or imports? Do they create employment or deter entry into the local labour market? Do they lead to sustainable patterns of development? Do they further the access to credit of local communities and migrants themselves? To what extent do migrants establish businesses as a result of their earnings abroad? To what extent do governments foster development along with migrant communities and host countries with migration-induced development through confidence building, infrastructure and skills training? Under what conditions does migration of skills result in a brain drain or a brain gain for sending countries? In both sending and receiving countries, different patterns of migration: circular, return, temporary, permanent, regular/irregular may have different impacts on development.
Cross-listed
Same as MRS 5103
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