Kinship Networks and Migration

Abstract

Migration research has long recognized and effectively documented the significance of demographic and economic variables in affecting the propensity for individuals to migrate. The decision to move is often seen as a function of age, family status, length of residence, and economic circumstance. In addition, there is the assumption that relative location in kinship networks is significant in that the idea to migrate is implanted or resisted as a function of personal and associative links within the community. This latter process, however, is more difficult to document. As a consequence, most studies can only infer its operation and its relationship to other variables.A major problem in demonstrating the influence of kinship networks is that the pattern of associations between households in any sizable population is exceedingly difficult to unravel and define. This is especially true of historical studies. While detailed information frequently exists for some households in a given population, it rarely exists for all.