Complete Thesis_double spaced abstract.pdf

eceiving states (predominantly developed democracies) dominates many of the disciplines
producing migration literature. Missing in the literature are many studies of emigration, along
with detailed comparative case studies exploring emigration from underdeveloped or developing
sending states in the Global South, with the notable exception of Mexico. Furthermore, there has
been a lack of systematic theory testing, leaving competing theories weakly supported while
inadequate theories survive unchallenged.
Despite this situation, there have been attempts to unify the divisions within the literature,
and to create more coherent theories which would analyze the initiation and perpetuation of
migration at micro and macro levels. Previous attempts by Massey et al (1993), Massey et al
(1994) and Brettel and Hollifield (2008) to sort out the field have been used to organize this
literature review. The disciplines involved in the study of migration are varied and include:
anthropology, sociology, history, demographics, geology, political science, economics, and law.
While each discipline has its own level of analyses, research question(s), theories, and variables
they examine, there is still considerable room for cooperation and collaboration within the fields.
Thus far the major sources of divergence arise from the level of analysis employed “within and
between disciplines,” meaning that theories, hypotheses, and predictions are a function of the
level of analysis selected by the researcher (Brettel and Hollifield, 2009, 17). There are two
levels of analysis: (1) macro, including states, whole populations, economies, entire social
classes, political systems, networks and (2) micro, individuals, (ethnic) groups, and households
(Brettel and Hollifield 2008). As stated by Brettel and Hollifield (2008) the unit of analysis
affects the research design, the data used, and the types of theories that are developed. The four
types of theories most commonly used are: transnational, structuralist, rationalist and
institutionalist. A short description of each of the theory types follows immediately after a brief
review of the varied topics within the migration literature.
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