Migration is a way to move from one place to another in order to live and work.
Movement of people from their home to another city, state or country for a job,
shelter or some other reasons is called migration. Migration from rural
areas to urban areas has increased in past few years in India.
Nowadays, many people decide to migrate to have a better life. Employment
opportunities are the most common reason due to which people migrate. Except
this, lack of opportunities, better education, construction of
dams, globalization, natural disaster (flood and drought) and sometimes crop
failure forced villagers to migrate to cities.
Migrants
People who move from one place to another in search of work or shelter are
called migrants. Most of the times migrants people are not skilled or educated
therefore they usually employed as daily wagers (workers who are paid at the end
of each day, for their services). Daily wagers do not get enough money for the
survival of their families and suffering from many problems such as they do not
have enough food to eat, sanitation, hygiene, a proper place to live etc.
Impacts of Migration
Migration is becoming a very important subject for the life of cities. Many
opportunities and attraction of big cities pull large numbers of people to big cities.
Migration can have positive as well as negative effects on the life of the migrants.
Positive Impact
Unemployment is reduced and people get better job opportunities.
Migration helps in improving the quality of life of people.
It helps to improve social life of people as they learn about new
culture, customs, and languages which helps to improve brotherhood
among people.
Migration of skilled workers leads to a greater economic growth of the
region.
Children get better opportunities for higher education.
The population density is reduced and the birth rate decreases.
Negative Impact
The loss of a person from rural areas, impact on the level of output
and development of rural areas.
The influx of workers in urban areas increases competition for the
job, houses, school facilities etc.
Having large population puts too much pressure on natural
resources, amenities and services.
It is difficult for a villager to survive in urban areas because in urban
areas there is no natural environment and pure air. They have to pay
for each and everything.
Migration changes the population of a place, therefore, the
distribution of the population is uneven in India.
Many migrants are completely illiterate and uneducated, therefore,
they are not only unfit for most jobs, but also lack basic knowledge
and life skills.
Poverty makes them unable to live a normal and healthy life.
Children growing up in poverty have no access to proper nutrition,
education or health.
Migration increased the slum areas in cities which increase many
problems such as unhygienic conditions, crime, pollution etc.
Sometimes migrants are exploited.
Migration is one of the main causes of increasing nuclear family
where children grow up without a wider family circle.
MIGRATION: TYPES AND REASONS
Migration is the movement of people from one place to live in another.
Emigrants leave their country, while immigrants enter a country. Migration
impacts on both the place left behind, and on the place where migrants settle.
People have many reasons why they might want to move from one place to
another. These reasons may be economic, social, political or environmental. For
migration to take place there are usually push factors and pull factors at work.
Push factors are the reasons that make someone decide to move. This is their
own experience of life in one place which gives them good reasons to leave it.
Often push factors are negative things such as unemployment, crop failure,
droughts, flooding, war, poor education opportunities or poor services and
amenities. Pull factors, on the other hand, are the expectations which attract
people to the new place. They are usually positive things such as job
opportunities, a better standard of living, better education or better healthcare.
Many people choose to migrate. These are voluntary migrants. Many are
economic migrants. Other voluntary migrants include older dependants who want
to live somewhere warm and sunny in their retirement. However many other
people have no choice and are forced to leave their homes. These are involuntary
migrants. Their lives and homes may be in danger due to war or a natural disaster.
These people are also called refugees. There are different types of migration such
as counter-urbanization, emigration, immigration, internal migration,
international migration and rural-urban migration
1. Build background about human migration and types of migration.
Explain to students that human migration is the movement of people from one
place in the world to another. Ask: What are some different types of human
movements? Then tell students that people move for many reasons, and that
types of human migration include:
internal migration: moving within a state, country, or continent
external migration: moving to a different state, country, or continent
emigration: leaving one country to move to another
immigration: moving into a new country
return migration: moving back to where you came from
seasonal migration: moving with each season or in response to labor or
climate conditions
2. Discuss people who migrate.
Tell students that people who migrate fall into several categories:
An emigrant is a person who is leaving one country to live in another.
An immigrant is a person who is entering a country from another to make a
new home.
A refugee is a person who has moved to a new country because of a
problem in their former home.
Have students provide specific examples of each to demonstrate understanding
of the differences between the three terms.
3. Brainstorm reasons for migrating.
Ask: Why do people move? What forces do you think drive human
migration? Then explain to students that people move for many reasons and that
those reasons are called push factors and pull factors. Tell students that push
factors include leaving a place because of a problem, such as a food shortage,
war, or flood. Tell students that pull factors include moving to a place because of
something good, such as a nicer climate, more job opportunities, or a better food
supply. Ask: What effect does a region’s economy, climate, politics, and culture
have on migration to and from the area? Have students brainstorm additional
reasons for migrating, such as displacement by a natural disaster, lack of natural
resources, the state of an economy, and more.
