The Atlas of Human Migration
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This is one of the impressive set of atlases that Earthscan have published. Previous topics have included water, food and endangered species which are of particular interest to us. The aim here is to demonstrate, through a series of maps, the major migration patterns and the reasons behind them.
The text is divided into four parts. The first deals with the topics one is most likely to meet when starting this subject – major historical movements. We start with the first human migration which assumes the single origin, out-of-Africa hypothesis (currently under some debate with the finding of fossil hominins in South Africa. This is followed by the Greek and Roman movements before discussing the more recent, large-scale transfers such as slavery, indentured labour and the nation-building moves to the US and colonies. Of more contemporary concern are the migration patterns brought about by economic reasons. There’s a fascinating set here starting with the immediate post War period and moving on to movements inwards from former colonies and outwards to areas of new economic significance. It’s not all external migration; we get maps looking at internal migrants in places like India and the USA. Up to this point, there’s the basic assumption that migration is a simple movement either as part of a broader cultural shift (migration to the colonies) or for fundamental economic reasons. Part three highlights what in reality is a very complex set of inter-related movements. The most obvious category are the refugees whose volumes and displacements have made headlines for over 40 years. If we add asylum seekers and those considered “internally displaced” there is another dimension (more so if we include the ecological disruptions such as climate change making environmental refugees). However, the idea of migration becomes far more nuanced. Migration is not a homogenous activity; it might be very specific (students, marriage, skilled workers) and it might not always have a good outcome (child migration, deaths at the border, and integration into the new country). Furthermore, there are often links to former homelands through voting and, crucially for poorer nations, remittances.Part four provides tables of data and sources.
This is a beautifully produced book whose graphics will engage many readers. The range of topics is very broad. It does not shy away from some of the more controversial topics that other texts might leave out so the reader is given some insight into the genuine complexity of human movement and the motivations behind it. Linked with migration sites such as Migration Map (which provides current data) this book provides an great start to understanding this topic.
