Global Migration: A World Ever More on the Move

People’s movement around the globe – for work, wanderlust or safety – has long reordered the world in ways comprehended only decades, even centuries later, notes Jason DeParle for the New York Times. New arrivals influence trade, work habits, schools, culture and politics at all levels. Mobility is at historically high levels, and the United Nations estimates the globe has more than 200 million migrants. DeParle lists five features of modern migration that amplify its effects: a greater global reach; remittances and migrants’ ability to return $317 billion to their homelands in 2009; increasing participation by women; ability to retain connections through technology; and unrealistic expectations that government can control these flows, welcoming tourism and trade while setting strict limits on workers. Rising wage inequality, with more people hoping to improve their fortunes through migration, exposes the emerging irrelevance of the nation-state and a need for global governance. – YaleGlobal