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Very Short Introductions #157
International Migration: A Very Short Introduction
In recent years, global migration has transformed in terms of its numbers and reach, its political significance, and its impact. The rising rates of international migration have been matched by growing public and media interest around the world. Today, the political and media attention on migration and greater public interest and concern feed into an international debate that is all too often poorly informed and one-sided.This Very Short Introduction looks at the phenomenon of international human migration - both legal and illegal - and offers an objective stance on the topic, and its benefits and challenges. Khalid Koser reveals the opportunities migration presents that must be taken advantage of in the current economic climate, and debunks common myths to demonstrate that society, as we now know it, cannot function without migrants. Using interviews with migrants from around the world, Koser presentsthe human side of issues such as asylum, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and the international labour force, inviting readers to come to their own conclusions on the international migration situation today.ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 26, 2012
On 28 January 2010 I went to see the great Buffy Sainte-Marie
She is one of my absolute musical heroes. Also, she's the only person I've ever seen live who doesn't know how old she is. (She was born on a native Indian reservation and they didn't notice such things.) Now I know you will forgive me a little bit of shameless name-dropping, so I'll tell you that she doesn't do many gigs in the UK, this was the first for years, and there were only four other UK dates on that tour, so you had to be quick to get a ticket. And these were pretty modest sized places. The one I went to was in a town called Leamington Spa, which is a completely unhip nowhere-type small town. Audience was about 2000, maybe less. So me and my mate Nick were shuffling out after the gig and we noticed someone we recognised immediately in front of us. It was a "is that really him?" moment. Because it really was :
Robert Plant.
But anyway, the reason I mention Buffy is that on her 1965 album many a Mile she sang one of her own songs and it puts out a point of view which I suggest you would never, ever find being played on any radio stations these days. It's called "Welcome, Welcome Emigrante" :
So welcome, welcome, emigrante
To my country, welcome home
So welcome, welcome, emigrante
To the country that I love
I am proud, I am proud, I am proud of my forefathers
And I say they built this country
And they came from far away to a land they didn’t know
The same way you do my friend
I am proud, I am proud, I am proud of my forefathers
And I sing about their courage
For they spoke a foreign language and they laboured with their hands
And the work they did was lowly and they dirtied up their clothes
And they came from far away to a land they didn’t know
And they spoke a foreign language and they laboured with their hands
The same way you do my friend
So welcome, welcome, emigrante
To my country, welcome home
So welcome, welcome, emigrante
To the country that love
Today on the news there is much chatter about whether the Home Secretary can put into place some emergency restrictions to stop the expected flood of Greek refugees who will be on their way to Britain very soon when they are slung out of the Euro and society collapses and anarchy prevails. All the time the British press whip up a frenzy about illegal immigrants, fake asylum seekers (they pretend to be gay or lesbian, you know, and say they will be persecuted if they're sent back, ard you know they're not gay or lesbian at all) and evil jihadis coming over here and wanting to establish Sharia law.
Any way, this is a pretty good short introduction, but let me end with a speech by Cher Horowitz, who you will immediately recognise as the airheaded Valley Girl from Clueless. Here is her take on how to handle international migration:
So, OK, like right now, for example, the Haitians need to come to America. But some people are all "What about the strain on our resources?" But it's like, when I had this garden party for my father's birthday right? I said R.S.V.P. because it was a sit-down dinner. But people came that like, did not R.S.V.P. so I was like, totally buggin'. I had to haul ass to the kitchen, redistribute the food, squish in extra place settings, but by the end of the day it was like, the more the merrier! And so, if the government could just get to the kitchen, rearrange some things, we could certainly party with the Haitians. And in conclusion, may I please remind you that it does not say R.S.V.P. on the Statue of Liberty?
She is one of my absolute musical heroes. Also, she's the only person I've ever seen live who doesn't know how old she is. (She was born on a native Indian reservation and they didn't notice such things.) Now I know you will forgive me a little bit of shameless name-dropping, so I'll tell you that she doesn't do many gigs in the UK, this was the first for years, and there were only four other UK dates on that tour, so you had to be quick to get a ticket. And these were pretty modest sized places. The one I went to was in a town called Leamington Spa, which is a completely unhip nowhere-type small town. Audience was about 2000, maybe less. So me and my mate Nick were shuffling out after the gig and we noticed someone we recognised immediately in front of us. It was a "is that really him?" moment. Because it really was :
Robert Plant.
But anyway, the reason I mention Buffy is that on her 1965 album many a Mile she sang one of her own songs and it puts out a point of view which I suggest you would never, ever find being played on any radio stations these days. It's called "Welcome, Welcome Emigrante" :
So welcome, welcome, emigrante
To my country, welcome home
So welcome, welcome, emigrante
To the country that I love
I am proud, I am proud, I am proud of my forefathers
And I say they built this country
And they came from far away to a land they didn’t know
The same way you do my friend
I am proud, I am proud, I am proud of my forefathers
And I sing about their courage
For they spoke a foreign language and they laboured with their hands
And the work they did was lowly and they dirtied up their clothes
And they came from far away to a land they didn’t know
And they spoke a foreign language and they laboured with their hands
The same way you do my friend
So welcome, welcome, emigrante
To my country, welcome home
So welcome, welcome, emigrante
To the country that love
Today on the news there is much chatter about whether the Home Secretary can put into place some emergency restrictions to stop the expected flood of Greek refugees who will be on their way to Britain very soon when they are slung out of the Euro and society collapses and anarchy prevails. All the time the British press whip up a frenzy about illegal immigrants, fake asylum seekers (they pretend to be gay or lesbian, you know, and say they will be persecuted if they're sent back, ard you know they're not gay or lesbian at all) and evil jihadis coming over here and wanting to establish Sharia law.
Any way, this is a pretty good short introduction, but let me end with a speech by Cher Horowitz, who you will immediately recognise as the airheaded Valley Girl from Clueless. Here is her take on how to handle international migration:
So, OK, like right now, for example, the Haitians need to come to America. But some people are all "What about the strain on our resources?" But it's like, when I had this garden party for my father's birthday right? I said R.S.V.P. because it was a sit-down dinner. But people came that like, did not R.S.V.P. so I was like, totally buggin'. I had to haul ass to the kitchen, redistribute the food, squish in extra place settings, but by the end of the day it was like, the more the merrier! And so, if the government could just get to the kitchen, rearrange some things, we could certainly party with the Haitians. And in conclusion, may I please remind you that it does not say R.S.V.P. on the Statue of Liberty?
December 1, 2024
There is a real lack of focus in this book. It is about international migration, a modern phenomenon, at least, as it is conceived today, but he begins by talking about Homo erectus migrations: “The history of migration begins with the origins of mankind in the Rift Valley in Africa, from where between about 1.5 million and 5000 BC Homo erectus and Homo sapiens spread initially into Europe and later into other continents. In the ancient world, Greek colonization and Roman expansion depended on migration, and outside Europe significant movements were also associated with the Mesopotamian, Inca, Indus, and Zhou empires. ”
This kind of I-have-to-talk-about-everything focus does no one any favors. It does nothing to enlighten the reader, as he is not an anthropologist and has no expertise on Homo erectus or Zhou Dynasty migrations or anything else he is talking about here. A stronger editor would have made Koser get to the point and cut the crap. What is stranger is that this book is an incredibly short book. So much of it is fat that needs to be cut.
I learned nothing.
Read 19%
This kind of I-have-to-talk-about-everything focus does no one any favors. It does nothing to enlighten the reader, as he is not an anthropologist and has no expertise on Homo erectus or Zhou Dynasty migrations or anything else he is talking about here. A stronger editor would have made Koser get to the point and cut the crap. What is stranger is that this book is an incredibly short book. So much of it is fat that needs to be cut.
I learned nothing.
Read 19%
November 13, 2017
Read this book for class (migration and integration). A great summary of the term migration, which isn't easy to do considering the enormous subject that it is. Koser aims to not bring any new facts to the table, but more present an objective view of migration. This book presents both terms as the creative class and it's escape from non-developing countries, to how women can both benefit and lose from a migration, to the limit resources of UNHCR. If you are looking for an easy read book, filled with information and good examples, this book is for you.
May 27, 2018
Lovely book. A great attempt at an unbiased approach and a must read.
May 20, 2021
Lightly written, touches upon a variety of interesting topics and ideas. It lacks a little depth and does not seem to introduce more modern trends in scholarship like critical approaches or intersectionality, but that is mostly owed to its introductory character (even though the liberal bias should be noted).
The data and issues are of course dated, as it is written before the 2015/16 European migration crisis. However, it still gives interesting perspectives and serves as a good framework to inspire thought on the topic of migration.
The data and issues are of course dated, as it is written before the 2015/16 European migration crisis. However, it still gives interesting perspectives and serves as a good framework to inspire thought on the topic of migration.
February 17, 2019
Simply stated and easy to read, this is a great introduction to migration that doesn’t feel politically charged. Definitely get the updated 2016 version - it provides extra information on more recent migration flows.
February 23, 2018
This is an agenda-driven account of migration, written to push a favourable view of immigration and downplay the harm; this goal of the elites should be very familiar to the average person on the street by now. This book was written in 2007, before the current crisis. The chapters in the book are: why migration matters, who is a migrant, migration and globalisation, migration and development, irregular migration, migrants in society.
There are a number of falsehoods, such as
The truth is that until recently, merely talking about immigration in anything other than a positive light was considered taboo. There is not much about the discourse surrounding immigration. The subject is like a religion in some circles (such as academia and journalism) and saying the wrong thing can ruin your career.
The author also employs a number of rhetorical devices to portray immigration as more favourable than it actually is. He cannot make a factual statement such as, "50 percent of immigrants have PhDs", so has to say something vague such as "among the immigrants, there are rocket scientists, engineers, and doctors" (he doesn't make this exact remark but others like it).
Better books on this topic are The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam and Strangers in Our Midst: The Political Philosophy of Immigration.
There are a number of falsehoods, such as
[U]ntil recently the political and economic climate in Europe has made it difficult to argue the case for the positive economic benefits of immigration.
The truth is that until recently, merely talking about immigration in anything other than a positive light was considered taboo. There is not much about the discourse surrounding immigration. The subject is like a religion in some circles (such as academia and journalism) and saying the wrong thing can ruin your career.
The author also employs a number of rhetorical devices to portray immigration as more favourable than it actually is. He cannot make a factual statement such as, "50 percent of immigrants have PhDs", so has to say something vague such as "among the immigrants, there are rocket scientists, engineers, and doctors" (he doesn't make this exact remark but others like it).
Better books on this topic are The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam and Strangers in Our Midst: The Political Philosophy of Immigration.
June 3, 2020
As usual this very short introduction edition made a great job at providing an overall description of international migration. had I read it before my exam last week, many things could be different now lol
Unfortunately, such is the relevance of the Pandemic we're living in, this little volume reveals to be somehow outdated already, but provides the tools to try and assess the impact of COVID-19 on migration processes
Unfortunately, such is the relevance of the Pandemic we're living in, this little volume reveals to be somehow outdated already, but provides the tools to try and assess the impact of COVID-19 on migration processes
February 17, 2022
This version is outdated.
March 20, 2025
A deeply flawed entry in the VSI catalog, poorly edited (if at all), wrong in its analysis of major events, and horribly dated at a mere 20 years from publication (2005). It took a fair amount of willpower to get through this volume, as much of it is obvious and quite boring.
I kept going because there are some gems here, and they're all basically definitions of terms I heard in grad school and half-understood, like transnational (as opposed to international). There are some helpful dynamics to understand in this book, and the author made me more aware of some of the data conservatives can rally to their side of the immigration debate, making me feel that the left does gloss over a couple of factors when discussing economic data related to immigration.
For the wrong reasons, this book will make you frequently chuckle as Koser assures readers that the era of conflict driven migration seems to be at an end, and the War on Terror is only contributing a minor increase to migratory patterns. He does acknowledge that these trends may change, but he seems rather confident in the arc of justice and in the ability of international institutions to solve the problems he discusses. Reading this in 2025, as the liberal international order crumbles, the US recedes from funding UN agencies, and as many nations are embracing various forms of xenophobic border militarism, makes this book feel like it's from another planet.
The author gives the reader relatively little that s/he won't already have before coming to this text. There are fewer sources cited than any other VSI I have read, and there is no suggested further reading section. The final chapter is a summary of the other chapters, and can be skipped entirely. This is the final example of many that illustrate that this book needed a stronger editorial hand (another case in point page 67 has this obvious typo that should have been caught before print: "This would be seem to be because there is increased competition in the smuggling business").
This book has a mind-numbing commitment to both-sides centrism about every subtopic related to international migration. Despite this, the author feels quite comfortable dismissing open borders left-wing radicals with neither evidence nor argument. This book is only useful for a few stats and terms, and for understanding what centrist liberals thought about this topic at the height of the Iraq War.
I kept going because there are some gems here, and they're all basically definitions of terms I heard in grad school and half-understood, like transnational (as opposed to international). There are some helpful dynamics to understand in this book, and the author made me more aware of some of the data conservatives can rally to their side of the immigration debate, making me feel that the left does gloss over a couple of factors when discussing economic data related to immigration.
For the wrong reasons, this book will make you frequently chuckle as Koser assures readers that the era of conflict driven migration seems to be at an end, and the War on Terror is only contributing a minor increase to migratory patterns. He does acknowledge that these trends may change, but he seems rather confident in the arc of justice and in the ability of international institutions to solve the problems he discusses. Reading this in 2025, as the liberal international order crumbles, the US recedes from funding UN agencies, and as many nations are embracing various forms of xenophobic border militarism, makes this book feel like it's from another planet.
The author gives the reader relatively little that s/he won't already have before coming to this text. There are fewer sources cited than any other VSI I have read, and there is no suggested further reading section. The final chapter is a summary of the other chapters, and can be skipped entirely. This is the final example of many that illustrate that this book needed a stronger editorial hand (another case in point page 67 has this obvious typo that should have been caught before print: "This would be seem to be because there is increased competition in the smuggling business").
This book has a mind-numbing commitment to both-sides centrism about every subtopic related to international migration. Despite this, the author feels quite comfortable dismissing open borders left-wing radicals with neither evidence nor argument. This book is only useful for a few stats and terms, and for understanding what centrist liberals thought about this topic at the height of the Iraq War.
November 2, 2016
This book provides a very good theoretical background on modern migration, as well as insights into the evolution and trends of migration. I would recommend this book for anyone wishing to learn more about the world of migration and the difficulties associated with it.
Some of the facts and statistics used in the book are a bit outdated (the book was written in 2007, far before the Syrian refugee crisis) but that will only a minor problem if you keep an critical and analytical viewpoint.
Overall a very well written and highly enjoyable introductory book.
Some of the facts and statistics used in the book are a bit outdated (the book was written in 2007, far before the Syrian refugee crisis) but that will only a minor problem if you keep an critical and analytical viewpoint.
Overall a very well written and highly enjoyable introductory book.
June 26, 2018
What constitutes migration? who migrates? are they just the down trodden, economically destitute or criminal who flees. This short study provides a good introduction to what are migrants be they international, internal, legal and irregular. Are the irregular migrants more prone to illegal and criminal trespasses and actions or is this a populist sway for joblessness and political maneuvering. Is there such a thing as diaspora in the modern context of global migrants? These are the questions addressed and clarified though by no means are they settled.
My biggest take from this book is about how we as globalists should consider the backlash that has been confusingly leveled on irregular (illegal), refugee, economic migrants by the nationalists and those who may be displaced by national policies and propagandist politics without a clearer understanding of the terms involved and the mechanics of migrants; their story, background and the statistics of harm(if any)
My biggest take from this book is about how we as globalists should consider the backlash that has been confusingly leveled on irregular (illegal), refugee, economic migrants by the nationalists and those who may be displaced by national policies and propagandist politics without a clearer understanding of the terms involved and the mechanics of migrants; their story, background and the statistics of harm(if any)
June 16, 2023
Essendo una semplice introduzione all'argomento si tratta inevitabilmente di un libro molto superficiale.
Ciò che non mi è piaciuto però è l'incapacità che credo avrebbe dovuto avere, di aprire alle varie questioni senza approfondirle, ma senza trasformarsi in un dibattito al bar sulla migrazione.
Molto discutibile poi l'atteggiamento che emerge positivo per UNHCR e di fatto negativo per IOM, davvero come se si fosse al bar.
Ciò che non mi è piaciuto però è l'incapacità che credo avrebbe dovuto avere, di aprire alle varie questioni senza approfondirle, ma senza trasformarsi in un dibattito al bar sulla migrazione.
Molto discutibile poi l'atteggiamento che emerge positivo per UNHCR e di fatto negativo per IOM, davvero come se si fosse al bar.
September 17, 2021
Irregular migrants is a better term than illegal immigrants because a human being’s existence can’t be illegal.
This book gave great insights into a topic at the forefront of one of society’s biggest talking point.
This book gave great insights into a topic at the forefront of one of society’s biggest talking point.
March 15, 2025
Chapter 1: Why migration matters
Chapter 2: Who is a migrant?
Chapter 3: Migration and globalization
Chapter 4: Migration and development
Chapter 5: Irregular migration
Chapter 6: Refugees and asylum-seekers
Chapter 7: Migrants in society
Chapter 8: The future of international migration
Chapter 2: Who is a migrant?
Chapter 3: Migration and globalization
Chapter 4: Migration and development
Chapter 5: Irregular migration
Chapter 6: Refugees and asylum-seekers
Chapter 7: Migrants in society
Chapter 8: The future of international migration
July 23, 2017
Very good introduction to the understanding of Migration.
September 5, 2018
Good start
Good overview of migration. But if you want to go deeper in this topic i wouldnt suggest it as the only book
Good overview of migration. But if you want to go deeper in this topic i wouldnt suggest it as the only book
October 26, 2019
Not bad for whoever wants to get a general idaea.
November 15, 2020
Short and balanced.
May 4, 2022
在使用“移民”这个词时，应当明确，一致，毫无偏见。
July 23, 2022
A solid intro. If you’ve taken refugee law or have knowledge in the area this will most be review but it’s a handy intro guide nonetheless.
October 1, 2022
Too old
June 11, 2023
Outdated - but good!
January 6, 2024
The book holds what it promises, it is a very short introduction to the topic. Language style is at times quite advanced for an introduction to the topic.
June 29, 2014
This is an excellent overview of issues of modern international migration and its many permutations. A great starter text if you're interested in the issue or if you're trying to further focus existing knowledge of the subject. The reference section in the back of the book is *gold* and Koser does a good job of bringing up modern scholars of the varying issues of immigration and pointing the reader towards their work. Koser is also wise enough to not focus primarily on the West and the migration brought about in the aftermath of imperialism and colonialism but also drawing the reader towards internal migration and the migration currently going on within and between Asia and Africa. South America, however, is curiously absent from the book except in reference to Latino migration in the USA and irregular migration takes center stage, despite the author's assertion that it's not as pressing an issue as it seems in most countries. There is also virtually no historical context given within the book, but for me, that's fine because there's plenty of that in other texts and a modern perspective is more of what I was looking for.
Definitely recommended for the student of multi-culturalism or migration as well as for the casual reader looking to challenge themselves with an overview of a very relevant global issue.
Definitely recommended for the student of multi-culturalism or migration as well as for the casual reader looking to challenge themselves with an overview of a very relevant global issue.
July 29, 2016
Informative and clearly organized. I learned that "irregular migrants" is sometimes favored over the more derogatory term "illegal migrants"; the difference between refugees and asylum-seekers; and the importance of adopting a rational, balanced view when discussing migration, recognizing that the available statistics are often limited.
August 5, 2014
At the risk of incurring the wrath of the gods: this is a subject I'm reasonably well informed on so there wasn't much new in this VSI for me... How is that for hubris? That aside this was an extremely well set out presentation of the various issues in this area and it was very useful to have everything explained so clearly in one place.
June 30, 2013
Another excellent VSI that helps readers understand the complexity of global migration in the contemporary world.
March 8, 2014
lots of good information on the subject in a small, easy-reading book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews