Are international and internal migration distinct phenomena?
- Authors
- Publication Date
- Jan 09, 2024
- Identifiers
- DOI: 10.4337/9781839105784.00011
- OAI: oai:HAL:hal-04590102v1
- Source
- Hal-Diderot
- Keywords
- Language
- English
- License
- Unknown
- External links
Abstract
Drawing on literature from a variety of migration contexts, this chapter investigates the distinction between international and internal migration. We first review the recent research on both forms of migration, before turning to research that attempts to “bridge the gap” between them. Second, we offer an original empirical analysis of both international and internal migration drawing on two French data sets, the Permanent Demographic Sample and the Trajectories and Origins Survey. These unique sources enable the determinants and motivations of both types of migration to be analysed conjointly. While the national border - and the types of political membership that go with it - remain an important structuring factor of migration, we show that migration and residential mobility studies would greatly benefit from considering the continuum of geographical distances mobile individuals can travel and the role of other borders, such as regional ones. Our findings do not suggest systematically studying all types of moves together, but rather advocate for giving up preconceived approaches based only on their international or internal nature. We suggest that researchers draw on both perspectives of migration and residential mobility when assessing the causes or consequences of population movements.
