Drivers of Migration

This paper explores the relationship between determinants of migration which are often deeply embedded in the economic, social, political, cultural and environmental context, and more immediate factors. It suggests that it may be useful to distinguish between predisposing, proximate, precipitating and mediating factors. To illustrate this the paper considers two migration corridors involving combinations of drivers – that connecting Afghanistan with Iran and Pakistan and that connecting the Somali regions to southern Africa – to identify in schematic fashion three sets of driver complexes operating at the place of origin, on the journey and in the destination area. The analysis indicates that, like individual drivers, such driver complexes may interact with one another and also shift in significance over time.