Historical Political Economy of Migration

Abstract

Abstract Historical political economy is well positioned to study the consequences of migration. This chapter summarizes insights from recent research in this field. To organize the findings, the discussion separates the consequences of migration for receiving and sending societies and for migrants themselves. The economic impact of international migration on receiving societies has attracted the most attention in the literature, but scholars are increasingly emphasizing the political consequences of migration and its effects on sending countries. The chapter discusses both voluntary and forced migration and emphasizes important distinctions between them. It concludes by highlighting the advantages of studying historical cases and suggesting directions for future research.