Migration and economic development: a review of theory, evidence, methodology and research priorities

Abstract

In this paper the author surveys the most recent literature on internal migration in developing nations. He also treats briefly the history of migration in the economically advanced countries and more recent international migration. After discussing the significance of the problems associated with migration and reviewing the noneconomic literature on the subject, he concentrates on recent economic theories of rural-urban migration and examines the rapidly growing number of quantitative and econometric migration studies. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research priorities in light of what we now seem to know about migration and development.