Immigration Reasons
Immigration is the process of changing residence, associated with the movement to the temporary or permanent residence in the other country, resulted by many reasons .
Immigration is a feature of economic reality in many economically advanced countries; however, the profile of immigration reasons and population has a great diversity. Primary objective is the reason for migration. Thus, Europe is chosen as a place of destination if the immigrant wants to enjoy the right of borderless movement across the Schengen zone. Australia and Canada are chosen if an immigrant prefers to make use of liberal immigrant labor legislation. Others choose countries on the family or humanitarian reasons. Whatever are the reasons making people migrate, this process has an inevitable impact on the local societies. These impacts may be controversial.
Though the freedom of travel was claimed by the UN Declaration as an essential right of any individual, countries following this Declaration prefer to implement its principles only for own citizens. Thus, Article 13 of the Declaration states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country” (United Nations 1948). Such a statement was adopted in order to increase the mobility of labor force between countries in 1948 during the post-war period; however, situation has dramatically changed since that time.
Nowadays the migration appears in its margin forms. In the result of up-to-date geopolitical situation, the attention of the whole world is focused on the crisis in Europe, which is flooded with refugees and migrants. Migration experts report numerous incidents with refugees on the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast. What is more, in Africa, millions of people move from one country to another, fleeing poverty and persecution. What is happening with the refugees on the sea routes from Africa to Europe is already being called "Apocalypse of immigrants".
So, as we can see that the situation with the immigrants is getting from bad to worse. Therefore, an only way to deal with these severe migration problems is to discuss them openly with the society. In this respect, it makes sense to outline the several key points: economic, political and military. Examination of these reasons in details can give us a better understanding of the migration reasons.
Economic (involving of the workforce; entrance into the country with more favorable socio-economic conditions);
These reasons include adverse economic situation in the country: inflation, mass unemployment, the economic crisis. It also includes a large gap in living standards between developed and developing countries, provoking the population of developing countries seek for more comfortable living conditions and improvement of the economic well-being. Most researchers defined economic reasons as a crucial factor underlying the background of migration flows.
Political (an escape from political, national, racial or religious persecution - the so-called political immigrants, refugees, the exchange of ethnic minorities between states);
Political reasons of immigration may include refugees search for political freedom. It can be estimated as a migration towards social and personal liberty or an attempt to escape political persecution in home country. Additionally, ethnical and religious reasons can be added here as well. Ethnic related conflicts and zero tolerance for religious beliefs may force people to seek a better life in other countries. Political and legal instability resulting in wars, revolutions and criminality may become another reason for political migration. According to the United Nations data (2015), approximately 13 million people have fled their homeland, escaping from the political conflicts and persecution in the recent years. The major share of immigrants, driven by political motives, has appeared in the beginning of the 1990s. Thus, the end of the "Cold War" period, followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent aggravation of ethnic and political conflicts in former Yugoslavia, Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.
Military reasons are related to the war, seizing or annexation of the territories, to which the population move voluntarily or involuntarily.
Widely common causes of migration are:
the desire to bring business to foreign markets or completely doing business abroad;
intention to work abroad;
the desire to get education abroad;
relocating to a country with a favorable political, social, cultural and economic environment;
family reunification;
buying of property;
the desire to obtain citizenship of another state.
Today immigration in Europe is very popular, when the inhabitants of the low level of economic and social life are willing to move to the more advanced countries, and ensure a promising future for themselves and their children. Recently, Europe has become the center of immigration welcoming refugees from the war-struck regions of Africa and Asia. Majority of immigrants prefer to move to such countries as the UK, Canada, Australia, Spain and the Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia). Europe is quite attractive for immigrants due to high standards of social living, good wages, and stable social security system. Moreover, entering one of the Schengen zone countries inside the EU allows immigrants travelling freely throughout the Europe.
All these theoretical facts are just on the top of the iceberg. If we want to understand the real nature and reasons of the immigration, we should refer to some literature sources. The description of some quite interesting books I will provide in my bibliography.
Annotated Bibliography
Eggers, D. (2007). What is the What. New York: Ailuros.
The third novel of Dave Eggers, What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng, tells us about the life of a boy from Sudan who spent 10 years in refugee camps before moving to Atlanta. This book illustrates the history of the Sudan civil war as viewed by Valentino Achak Deng, a refugee finding his home in America. The reader follows the memories of Achak Deng since he was a boy, who had to leave his home to find a temporary shelter in Ethiopia. We learn about starvation, diseases, military episodes, unexpected romances and other events of the main hero.
This book, like many other books of Dave Eggers, who have already received Pulitzer for his best-selling memoir ‘A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius’, was highly estimated in the world and caused a public response.
This book is a challenge to your mind and to your soul. It clearly reflects the awful situation of the African people, which leads to the migration. Reading this book, you have a chance to reflect over the migration reasons. Some of them are as simple as the life: war, starvation, deaths and diseases. People look for better life and chances to escape misery and poverty. These reasons are quite natural to motivate a person for a long trip to new home.
Eugenides, J. (2002). Middlesex. New York: Akashic Books
It is a book, which is really worth your attention. It is the novel written by Jeffrey Eugenides. This family saga represents a novel chronicle of a Greek family, which had a mutated gene causing dramatic changes of a protagonist’s personality and life. Thus, Calliope Stephanides, is an intersex man who had certain female characteristics. The reason of this shocking transformation is a rare genetic mutation, which was caused by the inbreeding relationships that led to the birth of a hermaphrodite.
The novel "Middlesex" brought its author a Pulitzer Prize. The story is based on the background of historical, political and social conflicts of the XX century, which determined the fate of several generations of a Greek family and as a result predetermined the life of the protagonist.
IOM. "Glossary on Migration." International Migration Law Series No. 25, 2011.
Retrieved from https://www.iom.int/key-migration-terms. International Organization for Migration was established in 1951. Since then it has become the powerful inter governmental structure collaborating with international partners and observing the situation with migrational issues. IOM includes 162 member states and promotes human and orderly migration as a benefit to economic and social stability of the globe.
McCourt, F. (1996). Angela’s Ashes. New York: Apress
‘Angela's Ashes’, published in 1996, is a memoir of Frank McCourt, describing in detail his poor childhood in Limerick. The plot is as follows: USA, Brooklyn, 1935. In the family of the little Frank is the next replenishment - his little sister. However, she was not destined to live more than a few days. After the death of new-born child, father of the family goes to binge, and his mother falls ill. So, the children left unattended, and was turn for help to a neighbor. And soon, all dysfunctional family was forced to move to his grandmother, in rainy and harsh Ireland.
The book quickly became a bestseller in many countries, it has been translated into 17 languages. Also for this book in 1997, McCourt was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. In addition, the book won in the 1997 National Book Critics Circle Award and Exclusive Books Boeke Priz.
This story explains, that the reasons for immigration not necessarily planned. It helps us to understand the dark side of immigration and its results.
Shteyngart, G. (2003). The Russian Debutante’s Handbook. London: Orbit Books
This book tells us about Vladimir Girkin, when he was twelve years old and his parents took him from Leningrad to New York. And when he was already twenty-five, he still can’t clarify for himself who he is: Russian, American or Jewish. But after that he met an old Russian man. And from this moment the life of Vladimir raced rapidly and uncontrollably. Like driftwood in the sea, he was throws off the New York to the Catalan mafia, and then met Russian in the Eastern Paris.
This book is written in the simple and clear style. But under the funny jokes we can find a deep sense of the heavy destiny of immigrants.
The existential adventure of poor Russian emigrant in America and Europe can completely carry you away "Russian debutant Adventure" is a dashing adventure novel, and at the same time a serious look at what it means to be a stranger in America and Europe.
The line of immigration is not central in this plot, but it is crucial. It shows the awful results of the people’s desire of better life and helps us understand the problems of such a situation.
United, Nations. "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights." Declaration, Article 13 , 1948.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed by the United Nations member countries in 1948. Article 13 of the Declaration claims an indispensable right of any human being to travel freely from one country to another.
Wilkerson, I. (2011). The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration. New York: Ailuros.
This book represents a prominent historical insight into the background of the Great and Second Great Migration. The framework ideas of the book narrates about the migration movement of African Americans from the ex-slave-owning South to Northern, Western and Midwestern states during 1915-1970. Isabel Wilkerson presents plenty of historical evidence and statistic analysis of the Great Migration period trying to interwine historical background with the personal stories of the three unique individuals, who moved from South to North/West at different times. This book was highly evaluated by the society. For example, it has received National Book Critics Circle Award, Lynton History Prize, Heartland Award, Dayton Literary Peace Prize Finalist. The book was nominated for National Nonfiction Book Award as the historical bestseller as well. Wilkerson has brilliantly described three destinies, who had to live their own place of leaving in search of better life. This masterwork gives rich food for thought and is perfectly suitable for the understanding of social reasons of immigration. First, it gives excellent chronicles of the migration phenomenon when thousands of black citizens moved from one part of the country to another looking for a better life. In this expent, this story is perfectly in line with our research project because thirst for better life, higher wages, good employment is the major motivating reason for migration. The epic migration described by Wilkerson is aligned with the present catastrophic situation with migration to Europe. This book can predict an answer to the question what will happen to these people and the new environment if administration/government does not pay due attention to the migration problem. New ghettos may arise in cities and suburban areas, which can significantly contribute to criminalization and social tension. Another question concerns positive shifts in economy with the advent of migrants. The new settlers may enrich the local culture with food, faith and traditions. The phenomenon of cultural plexus may educate tolerance, discipline and motivation to work hard. The outlined issues are important for the better understanding of underlying migration reasons. The book of Wilkerson is destined to become the classics while the present situation with the migration to Europe is destined to become a catastrophe if historical lessons are not taught, memorized and analyzed properly.
