Applied Case Study report for Transnational Geographies - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages According to recent estimates 77.9 million Asians reside in different parts of the world and 215,764,000 people migrated to different parts of the globe in the year 2010 (MPI data, 2012). The figures illustrate the significance of transnational migration and provide the base for numerous research studies. Migration Information Source (MIS) is an integral part of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) that caters to the compilation and assimilation of data collected from different global organizations, government bodies and agencies on migratory trends and statistics. The data collected by the MIS is structured and collated to provide analytical evidence of transnational migration trends. The online information resource forms a vital source for information and data on migration movements enabling analysts to provide different perspectives on people movement for improved understanding of migration. The reports, data and statistics are accessible to journalists, policymakers, researchers and academicians online (MIS website, 2012). Research context – background and overview Global migration has been one of the important aspects driving the economic growth and development of any region. While migration in the ancient times was limited to trade and settlement purposes, the modern era defined new grounds for migration and the number of people migrating from one country to another continues to increase (Hamilton and Grieco, 2002). Migration of people from one region to another had immense social, cultural and economic implications. Researchers, academicians and policy makers realized the need to have instant access to migration data for analyzing social development, cultural impacts, and economic growth factors. However, there were very few reliable sources of information available on people migration from one country to another earlier. The need for an easily accessible and reliable source of data in this context was realized. The MIS was conceived as a part of the MPI, that forms a non-profit organization based in Washington. The goal of the MPI was to “deliver sound and accurate data and analysis on migration trends and refugees” (Hamilton and Grieco, 2002, p3). The online information service was thus conceptualized in the early 2000s to facilitate data collection and analysis of international migration. Numerous research studies on transnational geographies have focused on analyzing migration trends and its influence on social, cultural and economic development of any region. A research article by Radcliffe, Silvey, and Olson (2006) explored the political dimensions of transnational migration and its linkages to religious beliefs, cultural practices and economic development within a region. The paper explores the different perspectives and conclusive evidences offered by numerous research studies in this context. Another research study by Silvey (2004) seeks to explain the role of States of Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in shaping migratory trends of women between the two countries. A more recent study by Blunt (2007) focused on the inter-linkages existing between the cultural environment of a region and transnational mobility. Faist (2008) in his works on migration and transnational development reflects on “how national states structure the transnational spaces in which non-state actors are engaged in cross-border ...Download file to see next pages Read More