Why have traditional theories of assimilation consistently failed to Essay

Why have traditional theories of assimilation consistently failed to explain the nature of immigrant adaption - Essay Example In order to discuss assimilation further, it is first important to understand the primary reasons as to: why people migrate, the places where people migrate to and the different type(s) of people who migrate. Once we have looked in greater depth at the issues surrounding migration can we then start to understand the theories surrounding assimilation and the reasons why these theories consistently fail to explain immigrant adaption. As Castles and Miller (2009) state: International migration is hardly ever a simple individual action in which a person decides to move in search of better life chances, pulls up his or her roots in the place of origin and quickly becomes assimilated in the new country. Much more often migration and settlement are a long drawn out process that will be played out for the rest of the migrant’s life and affect subsequent generations too. So, if this process is so complex and long lasting why do people do it? People migrate for many different reasons these include economic, social, political and environmental. The term economic migration refers to someone who is migrating for the purpose of seeking employment or better employment opportunities or to improve their financial position. ‘Economic advantage has long been one of the main stimulants to migration – both for the individual workers seeking economic betterment and for the states attracting workers to fill labour shortages and skills gaps. With globalization and the rapid growth in ease of travel, economic migration has become an increasingly significant phenomenon world-wide. The International Organisation for Migration estimates that there are 80 million economic migrants world-wide’ (Economic migration to the EU, 2005). Economic migration is the most common cause of migration. Social migration involves either moving for a better quality of life or to be closer to friends or family where as political migration refers to someone who is migrating primarily because of