This course is an all-out, in-depth exploration of why, how, when, and where (from/to) people migrate, especially those moving out of their country of birth.
We will delve into several theories that aim to understand the economic, social, environmental, and policy "drivers" of different kinds of migration, and how migration stems (or not) from globalization and development processes. We will pay special attention to the current global refugee crisis as well as to the older question of why people oftentimes migrate "illegally." Finally, we will also look at the ways in which migration changes sending areas and destinations. Among these issues, we will address whether the inflow of foreigners has any effects on the economy of destinations (e.g., a negative effect on wages and prices); as well as if migration has any effects on development processes in sending areas. While the course uses several case studies on migrant flows to the United States, it will also provide a more global overview of migration in other parts of the world, including that between the Middle East and Europe and Asia and the Middle East, among others.