Search results for ""Author Robin Cohen""

Migration, population shifts and flights from natural disaster have been known since the dawn of history, yet have only been rigorously studied in modern times. Are contemporary scholars of migration capable of evolving a single comprehensive theory which accounts for the diverse causes and implications of migration?In Theories of Migration, Robin Cohen has brought together a substantive body of scholarship from many disciplines and schools of thought which addresses the failure to produce one satisfactory general theory of migration. Attempts to construct a theory of migration have been constrained by the considerable variety of migrations which have to be considered - professional and unskilled, compelled and voluntary, settler and temporary, internal and international, and finally, illegal and legal. Perspectives arising from all the major social science disciplines are represented in this volume which features over 25 articles originally published in a wide array of professional disciplines.Theories of Migration shows that some important advances have been made across disciplines to create the building blocks of a theory which encompasses the many different forms of human migrations found in recorded history.

Read more less

At the end of the twentieth century with the increased flows of capital, ideas, commodities and peoples, migration - a central concern of early sociology - has again assumed global significance.The Sociology of Migration is a collection of over 15 articles covering such themes as the peculiarity of migrant labour, the dynamics of international labour migration, women migrants, enclaves and labour markets, the effects of remittances and return migration to the country of origin, migration and the social structure, refugees and displaced persons, the brain drain, migration in Asia and the effects of migration on the state-system.This substantial, skilfully edited volume addresses a difficult and complex area that cannot easily be studied through one textbook. This collection present - in one accessible volume - the articles and papers required to form a clear understanding of the area ensuring it will be widely used by sociologists and migration scholars.

Read more less

Can politicians effectively control national borders even if they wish to do so? How do politically powerless migrants relate to more privileged migrants and to national citizens? Is it possible for capital to move to labour rather than vice versa? In this book Robin Cohen shows how the preferences, interests and actions of the three major social actors in international migration policy - global capital, migrant labour and national politicians - intersect and often contradict each other. Cohen addresses these vital questions in a wide-ranging, lucid and accessible account of the historical origins and contemporary dynamics of global migration.

Read more less

While recognizing that distinctions between categories are often fuzzy, Migration covers many types of migrants including explorers, slaves, pilgrims, mineworkers, labourers, exiles, refugees, sex workers, students, tourists, retirees and expatriates. Cohen covers a long span of history and many regions and themes, giving context and colour to one of the most pressing issues of our time. The text is supplemented by a series of vivid maps, evocative photographs and powerful graphics. Migration is present at the dawn of human history – the phenomena of hunting and gathering, seeking seasonal pasture and nomadism being as old as human social organization itself. The flight from natural disasters, adverse climatic changes, famine, and territorial aggression by other communities or other species were also common occurrences. But if migration is as old as the hills, why is it now so politically sensitive? Why do migrants leave? Where do they go, in what numbers and for what reasons? Do migrants represent a threat to the social and political order? Are they none-the-less necessary to provide labour, develop their home countries, increase consumer demand and generate wealth? Can migration be stopped? All these questions are probed in an authoritative text by one of Britain's leading migration scholars.

Read more less

This authoritative collection brings together the most significant papers by leading scholars in an increasingly important area of study. Social scientists and political analysts are becoming more and more aware of the importance of long-maintained or newly embellished links between post-migration communities and the societies from which they originate. Closely tied to this field is a renewed interest in 'diasporas' or globally dispersed groups whose collective experiences often draw on deep historical roots in more than one place.The articles selected for this volume represent key contemporary theories, comparative research and case studies. Contributors are drawn from the disciplines of sociology, anthropology, economics, cultural studies, political science and history. Migration, Diaporas and Transnationalism will be a valuable resource for students and professional researchers who have an interest in migration, globalization, ethnic relations, culture and identity.

Read more less

In the face of the destructive possibilities of resurgent nationalisms, unyielding ethnicities and fundamentalist religious affinities, there is hardly a more urgent task than understanding how humans can learn to live alongside one another. This fascinating book shows how people from various societies learn to live with social diversity and cultural difference, and considers how the concepts of identity formation, diaspora and creolization shed light on the processes and geographies of encounter.Robin Cohen and Olivia Sheringham reveal how early historical encounters created colonial hierarchies, but also how conflict has been creatively resisted through shared social practices in particular contact zones including islands, port cities and the ‘super-diverse’ cities formed by enhanced international migration and globalization. Drawing on research experience from across the world, including new fieldwork in Louisiana, Martinique, Mauritius and Cape Verde, their account provides a balance between rich description and insightful analysis showing, in particular, how identities emerge and merge ‘from below’.Moving seamlessly between social and political theory, history, cultural anthropology, sociology and human geography, the authors point to important new ways of understanding and living with difference, surely one of the key challenges of the twenty-first century.

Read more less

Migration and Culture marks a first in providing a comprehensive collection of published articles linking migration and culture. Prior approaches to migration have often stressed statistical and economic factors. The theoretically challenging and comparative accounts represented here are part of a new wave of thinking which illustrates the meaning of migration and its profound cultural implications. With an original introductory essay by the editors, this title will be of great interest and value to sociologists, anthropologists, and those interested in cultural studies, diaspora, transnationalism and post-colonialism and the cultural aspects of globalisation.

Read more less

In the face of the destructive possibilities of resurgent nationalisms, unyielding ethnicities and fundamentalist religious affinities, there is hardly a more urgent task than understanding how humans can learn to live alongside one another. This fascinating book shows how people from various societies learn to live with social diversity and cultural difference, and considers how the concepts of identity formation, diaspora and creolization shed light on the processes and geographies of encounter.Robin Cohen and Olivia Sheringham reveal how early historical encounters created colonial hierarchies, but also how conflict has been creatively resisted through shared social practices in particular contact zones including islands, port cities and the ‘super-diverse’ cities formed by enhanced international migration and globalization. Drawing on research experience from across the world, including new fieldwork in Louisiana, Martinique, Mauritius and Cape Verde, their account provides a balance between rich description and insightful analysis showing, in particular, how identities emerge and merge ‘from below’.Moving seamlessly between social and political theory, history, cultural anthropology, sociology and human geography, the authors point to important new ways of understanding and living with difference, surely one of the key challenges of the twenty-first century.

Read more less

The Politics of Migration is an authoritative collection which includes the most important articles and papers that document and analyse the political impact and consequences of migration since World War II. It assesses the impact of migration on class conflict and politics in the host country and the strategies adopted by the state to manage the political activities and demands of new ethnic minority communities. It also covers the rise of racist politics, especially electoral support for anti-immigrant far right parties. Special emphasis is placed on the politics of citizenship and political engagement as the new settlers adopt political strategies in order to combat exclusion, racism and oppression and to achieve recognition and legitimacy.

Read more less