Population: Migration

Question 1

What is Migration?

Answer 1

Migration is the movement of people away from their usual place of residence to a new place of residence, either across an international border or within a country.

Question 2

What is an Asylum Seeker?

Answer 2

Asylum seekers are people who have fled their country of origin and applies for asylum under the 1951 Convention on the grounds that they cannot return to their country of origin due to fear of death or persecution.

Question 3

What are Refugees?

Answer 3

Refugees are asylum seekers whose application claim for asylum has been successful.

Question 4

What are Economic Migrants?

Answer 4

Economic migrants are people who have voluntarily left their country of origin to seek employment in another country

Question 5

Migration statistical overview

Answer 5

• About 1/3 of all international migration is between developing nations
• 60% of international migrants reside in higher income countries than their country of origin
• 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees defines who is a refugee, their rights and the legal obligation of states. 147 signatories

Question 6

What are push factors?

Answer 6

Push factors: always negative in language – push people out of a place (e.g legislation, disease, war…)

Question 7

What are pull factors?

Answer 7

Pull factors: what draws people towards a location (e.g jobs, lack of conflict, housing, moderate climate…)

Question 8

What occurred in Syria during the European refugee crisis?

Answer 8

• A record 1.3 million people sought asylum in Europe in 2015
• Approximately 222,000 were Syrians, 103,000 were from Afghanistan and 69,000 from Iraq
• The causes were attributed to the escalation of various wars in the Middle East and ISIL’s territorial and military dominance in the region as well as Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt ceasing accept Syrian asylum seekers
• Many EU governments reacted by closing their borders
• Germany would ultimately accept the most: 440,000 asylum applications
• Other countries that took in a significant number including Hungary, Sweden and Austria
• Since 2011, more than 14 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. More than 7.2 million Syrians remain internally displaced in their own country where 70% of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance and 90% live below the poverty line

Question 9

What are the demographic implications of migration at the country of origin>

Answer 9

People of reproductive age go> fewer births
Ageing population remain> unbalanced
Loss of male population of working age

Question 10

What are the social implications of migration at the place of origin?

Answer 10

Advantages:
• Reduced pressure on healthcare
• Reduced pressure on education
Disadvantages:
• Loss of traditional culture
• Break-up of family units
• Break-up of communities
• Loss of qualified workers e.g. doctors

Question 11

What are the economic implications of migration at the place of origin?

Answer 11

Advantages:
• Reduced pressure on food, energy, water etc.
• Less unemployment
• Remittances sent back home by migrants
• Migrants develop new skills to bring home
Disadvantages:
• Loss of most skilled from workforce
• Creates dependency on remittances
• Less agricultural + industrial production
• Not enough to support services> decline

Question 12

What are the political implications of migration at the place of origin?

Answer 12

• Pressure to redevelop areas of decline
• May introduce pro-natal policies

Question 13

What are the environmental implications of migration at the place of origin?

Answer 13

• Infrastructure abandoned
• Less environmental management

Question 14

What are the health implications of migration at the place of origin?

Answer 14

• Migrants leave areas with infectious diseases
• Less pressure on limited health services BUT as most vulnerable (children + poor) leave, they remain at risk

Question 15

What are the demographic implications of migration at the destination?

Answer 15

• People of reproductive age come> more births
• Balanced if previously had ageing population
• Increase in male population of working age

Question 16

What are the social implications of migration at the destination?

Answer 16

Advantages:
• Cultural advantages e.g. new food, music
Disadvantages:
• Pressure on maternal + infant healthcare
• Pressure on schools (especially primary)
• More ethnic + racial tensions
• Increase in crime
• Segregation of migrants into certain areas

Question 17

What are the economic implications of migration at the destination?

Answer 17

Advantages:
• Overcomes any specific skill shortages
• Cheap labour
• More money spent + taxes paid
• Increased size of workforce> economic boom + multiplier effect
Disadvantages:
• Pressure on jobs/ unemployment
• Resentment to migrants during recessions

Question 18

What are the political implications of migration at the destination?

Answer 18

• Pressure to control immigration
• Rise of anti-immigration political parties
• Growth of right-wing racist organisations

Question 19

What are the environmental implications of migration at the destination?

Answer 19

• Pressure on land for development
• Increased demand for energy, water + food> pressure on natural resources

Question 20

What are the health implications of migration at the destination?

Answer 20

• Increase of infectious diseases brought over> increased pressure on health services
• Increased pressure on health services due to non-communicable disease treatment. Sometimes ‘health tourism’

Question 21

Overview of the European Refugee Crisis

Answer 21

• Described as the worst refugee crisis in Europe since WWII.
• Over 800,000 people arrived by sea in 2015, fleeing conflict—especially from Syria, which accounted for 39% of EU asylum applications.
• The crisis became a politically sensitive issue, sparking debate and tension across Europe.

Question 22

What were the causes of the European Refugee Crisis?

Answer 22

• Conflict and violence in Syria displaced over 11 million people, many unable to leave the country.
• Refugees faced dangerous migration routes, including overcrowded boats and smuggling networks.
• In 2015, 3,500+ deaths occurred during Mediterranean crossings.

Question 23

Policy responses and challenges within the European Refugee Crisis

Answer 23

• EU strategies focused on border protection and minimising loss of life, but were criticised as short-term and inconsistent.
• Some countries, like the UK, refused to participate in relocation plans (e.g., 120,000 refugees from Greece).
• Norway’s approach emphasised early intervention and public discourse, contrasting with limited UK engagement.

Question 24

What were some long term issues in response to the European Refugee Crisis

Answer 24

• UNHCR estimated 440,000 people needed resettlement, but global responses were slow and inadequate.
• Over half of refugees had been displaced for more than five years.
• Integration efforts were hindered by financial constraints and unstable governments, especially in developing countries.

Question 25

What was concluded from the European Refugee Crisis

Answer 25

• Migration policies must be humane, coordinated, and respect refugee rights. • Governments should prioritise safe transit, fair asylum processing, and support for vulnerable groups. • Moral responsibility includes treating asylum seekers with dignity, avoiding exploitation, and acknowledging trauma.

Question 26

Where did refugees come from in the European Refugee Crisis, and where did they go?

Answer 26

• A record 1.3 million people sought asylum in Europe in 2015 • Approximately 222,000 were Syrians, 103,000 were from Afghanistan, 69,000 from Iraq • Causes attribute to the escalation of various wars in the Middle East and ISIS territorial and military dominance • Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt ceased to accept Syrian asylum seekers • Many EU governments reacted by closing their borders o Germany accepted 440,000 o Hungary, 174,000 o Sweden, 156,000 o Austria, 88,000 • Since 2011, more than 7.2 million remain internally displaced o 70% of population in need of humanitarian assistance o 90% live below the poverty line

Question 27

What did Simon Reeves discuss in relation to Turkey and their refugee situation?

Answer 27

• Dangerous southern border with Syria • Refugee camps scattered throughout this region • Turkish government has built 20+ refugee camps, housing 250,000 Syrians • “Fully functioning small town” >>> bombing just beyond the walls are common • Electricity, shops, schools, play areas • Turkey spent over 8 billion pounds on the refugee camps • Predominantly conservative muslims (talk of granting citizenship – potential political support for the current political party in power in Turkey: President Erdogan) • Turkey are running hospitals, increasing wealth and influence – potentially an influential country in the future

Question 28

What did Alexander Betts discuss in his TED Talk on immigration?

Answer 28

• Since Aylan Kurdi, over 200 children have drowned in the Mediterranean • Highly inhumane response within Europe to refugees • Sometimes, illegal entry is the only viable way to gain access to a country for a desperate individual • Modern Refugee Regime – formed after WWII • States committed to reciprocally allow people onto their soil: in theory, refugees can seek asylum (shared global responsibility), in practice, immigration policies act as blockers • 25% of the world's refugees are women with children • 3rd world country access = only 1% of the world’s refugees • A refugee has 3 options: refugee camps (often bleak, restricted economic activity and education, travel to an urban area in a neighbouring country (75% of Syrians chose this – don’t usually have the right to work, likely to face urban destitution), dangerous journey to another country. Encampment, urban distribution, dangerous journeys • 80% of refugees in camps stay there for 5 years (only 9% of Syrians chose this) • Politicians frame this issue as a zero-sum issue (refugees are an inevitable cost or burden to society)

Question 29

What are some examples of Enabling Environments?

Answer 29

research project in Uganda, looking at the economic profiles of refugees -21% of refugees own a business that employs others, 40% of those employees are Ugandan nationals. Rwandan runs a business to allow the youth to play computer games on recycled digital mediums

Question 30

What are economic zones?

Answer 30

areas to integrate the employment of refugees with employment of nationals. Government has spent $100 million into zones for Syrians, connecting it into electricity

Question 31

What is preference matching?

Answer 31

Ask refugees what they want, where they want to go. Ask states to rank desired factors and match it to a refugee's preferred destination

Question 32

What are humanitarian visas?

Answer 32

Why should dangerous journeys be necessary when budget flights exist – the allowance of refugees to collect a Visa at an embassy and pay their own way to a destination. Brazil has started to pioneer a similar idea – over 2000 Syrians have arrived in Brazil