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A Short History of Migration
Translated by Carl Ipsen.
This short book provides a succinct and masterly overview of the history of migration, from the earliest movements of human beings out of Africa into Asia and Europe to the present day, exploring along the way those factors that contribute to the successes and failures of migratory groups. Separate chapters deal with the migration flows between Europe and the rest of the world in the 19th and 20th centuries and with the turbulent and complex migratory history of the Americas.
Livi Bacci shows that, over the centuries, migration has been a fundamental human prerogative and has been an essential element in economic development and the achievement of improved standards of living. The impact of state policies has been mixed, however, as states have each established their own rules of entry and departure - rules that today accentuate the differences between the interests of the sending countries, the receiving countries, and the migrants themselves. Lacking international agreement on migration rules owing to the refusal of states to surrender any of their sovereignty in this regard, the positive role that migration has always played in social development is at risk.
This concise history of migration by one of the world's leading demographers will be an indispensable text for students and for anyone interested in understanding how the movement of people has shaped the modern world.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 27, 2020
Fantastic scope, history and forecast of migration in the XXI century. A must read to put yourself in context
August 25, 2018
Moving History
Livi-Bacci provides a useful primer on migrating peoples, albeit, as others have noted, with a Eurocentric POV. Of particular interest were the great Germanic migrations "Drang nach Osten" (drive to the east), the settling of Asiatic Russia by political prisoners and the liberated serfs which took I as well as the settling of both Americas by Europeans.
Where the book excels is in its analysis of reasons given for migration and the implications for a crowded world. Historically he begins with the notions of "first peoples", migrants into what might be considered "terra nullis", somewhat of an illusion: What is shown is the replacement of low density nomadic tribes by sedentary agricultural and mercantile classes who's advantages are progressively better methods to live off the land. As we approach the common era unopposed migration is no longer the rule - like moving pieces in the children's game Rush Hour - the less vacant the board the harder it is to move pieces around. One civilization takes advantage of the misfortunes of another such as disease or political or economic collapse, or in certain cases causes it, and new settlers move in.
The last 3 centuries have witnessed major improvements in roadways and other transportation networks which in turn accelerated the speed and volume of migration. Cheaper high volume goods destroyed peasant economies, weaken ties to the land and traditional lifestyles while creating large pools of displaced rural dwellers migrating into urban spaces. Europe was colonized largely from within and then moved out. The New World created the need for different types of immigrants including farmers but also bureaucrats, merchants, technicians, minders and at the bottom of the heap, African slaves.
Another issue that Livi-Bacci underlines is the problem of declining fertility in countries ranging from Japan, China and the Americas and their concern with labour shortages in the face of an aging population. He contrasts more common "closed models" which try to incentivize internal growth to "open models" of the West which find it easier to bring in outsiders. Without immigration, Livi-Bacci notes, the population of Russia will not only drop, it will skew with a 37% increase in people over 65 met with a 26% decrease in the 20-40 year olds which is usually the age of greatest fertility and economic production. What he misses is that in both cases the real problem may be an addiction to growth rather than adapting to steady state 2 child families and a more even age distribution. The book ends by considering different approaches modernizing immigration policies and immigrant rights in today's globalized society.
IMV the addition of maps and graphs would have better communicated the author's message and raised my rating. Another difficulty was the assumption that the reader could puzzle out oblique historic references. For example when he refers to "the crisis of the 17th century" in Europe (pp27), I had no idea what he was talking about and to understand Catherine the Great's drive to bring in German immigrants one needs to know that she was German, not Russian.
Notwithstanding the above concerns it was an interesting and worthwhile read of special interest to those making policy related to urban and rural demography. Recommended.
Livi-Bacci provides a useful primer on migrating peoples, albeit, as others have noted, with a Eurocentric POV. Of particular interest were the great Germanic migrations "Drang nach Osten" (drive to the east), the settling of Asiatic Russia by political prisoners and the liberated serfs which took I as well as the settling of both Americas by Europeans.
Where the book excels is in its analysis of reasons given for migration and the implications for a crowded world. Historically he begins with the notions of "first peoples", migrants into what might be considered "terra nullis", somewhat of an illusion: What is shown is the replacement of low density nomadic tribes by sedentary agricultural and mercantile classes who's advantages are progressively better methods to live off the land. As we approach the common era unopposed migration is no longer the rule - like moving pieces in the children's game Rush Hour - the less vacant the board the harder it is to move pieces around. One civilization takes advantage of the misfortunes of another such as disease or political or economic collapse, or in certain cases causes it, and new settlers move in.
The last 3 centuries have witnessed major improvements in roadways and other transportation networks which in turn accelerated the speed and volume of migration. Cheaper high volume goods destroyed peasant economies, weaken ties to the land and traditional lifestyles while creating large pools of displaced rural dwellers migrating into urban spaces. Europe was colonized largely from within and then moved out. The New World created the need for different types of immigrants including farmers but also bureaucrats, merchants, technicians, minders and at the bottom of the heap, African slaves.
Another issue that Livi-Bacci underlines is the problem of declining fertility in countries ranging from Japan, China and the Americas and their concern with labour shortages in the face of an aging population. He contrasts more common "closed models" which try to incentivize internal growth to "open models" of the West which find it easier to bring in outsiders. Without immigration, Livi-Bacci notes, the population of Russia will not only drop, it will skew with a 37% increase in people over 65 met with a 26% decrease in the 20-40 year olds which is usually the age of greatest fertility and economic production. What he misses is that in both cases the real problem may be an addiction to growth rather than adapting to steady state 2 child families and a more even age distribution. The book ends by considering different approaches modernizing immigration policies and immigrant rights in today's globalized society.
IMV the addition of maps and graphs would have better communicated the author's message and raised my rating. Another difficulty was the assumption that the reader could puzzle out oblique historic references. For example when he refers to "the crisis of the 17th century" in Europe (pp27), I had no idea what he was talking about and to understand Catherine the Great's drive to bring in German immigrants one needs to know that she was German, not Russian.
Notwithstanding the above concerns it was an interesting and worthwhile read of special interest to those making policy related to urban and rural demography. Recommended.
August 18, 2021
Una lectura interesante, como panorama general (perspectiva histórica y contexto reciente) del tema de las migraciones. El planteamiento básico: es un hecho casi natural en la Historia humana, que ha tenido ciclos en el tiempo, y cuyos resultados son a la larga positivos; el foco está dado mayoritariamente en migración internacional (intercontinental si se quiere); partiendo de las migraciones para el poblamiento inicial del globo y la difusión de la agricultura (de la cultura), se revisa la evolución de las migraciones sobre todo desde el renacimiento y las olas globalizadoras desde 1,800 en adelante. Ya las últimas páginas centran la situación en el debate más actual (edición es de 2010), la capacidad europea (y de países desarrollados) de gestionar los flujos, y la posibilidad de normativas internacionales para abordar el tema con visión realmente global. Por el año de edición, no alcanza a cubrir eventos recientes, como mayor incidencia de movimientos anti-globalización, y casos concretos como el de Siria o Venezuela, de la última década. Libro breve, la lectura por tramos se hace un poco tediosa, algo que podría deberse más a traducción que a la redacción del texto original.
December 16, 2018
Good historical overview, but his writing is too one-sided. Also the chapters on 2000 and later need an update, written in 2010 he relies on European migratory data from the middle of the 1990s partly in order to make his predictions and give recommendations. Things changed dramatically in that respect in recent years as we know...
June 27, 2013
In only 124 short pages the author provides a readable, understandable overview of the history of the migration of human populations. It starts with our first migrations out of Africa and then around the world. It also addresses the drivers and effects of modern migrations, both legal and illegal.
I didn't really know what to expect when I first cracked this book, but the pages flew by surprisingly quickly for a non-fiction read. I recommend it highly to anyone interested in any aspect of migration, as well as challenges we currently face as people do and do not move.
The bottom line is that today countries are opening their borders to trade, but not to immigrants. Why? Read the book!
I didn't really know what to expect when I first cracked this book, but the pages flew by surprisingly quickly for a non-fiction read. I recommend it highly to anyone interested in any aspect of migration, as well as challenges we currently face as people do and do not move.
The bottom line is that today countries are opening their borders to trade, but not to immigrants. Why? Read the book!
September 18, 2014
An overview of human migration from the beginning of man/woman to the present. This book covers a lot of ground. It is an academic paper so expect academic language and tone. The facts are interesting and include charts and citations. Interesting.
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October 7, 2013304.8209 L7855 2012
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews