Demographic Trends: Migration & Globalisation (AQA A Level Sociology): Revision Note

Migration

• Migration is a key factor contributing to the rise in the UK population

  • Migration refers to the movement of people from one country to another

  • Net migration is the difference between the number of people entering (immigration) and leaving (emigration) a country over time

  • Internal migration refers to the movement of people within a country

• Trends in the UK since 1900:

  • Since the 1980s, the UK has seen a sharp increase in net migration:

    • In 2014, net migration was approximately 260,000

    • The 2011 Census reported that 14% of the UK population were from ethnic-minority backgrounds, up from 6% in 1991

    • By the end of 2023, net migration peaked at 860,000

    • However, by the end of 2024, net migration fell to an estimated 431,000 (ONS, 2025) — nearly a 50% drop

Reasons behind increasing migration

Push and pull factors

• Push factors are conditions that encourage people to leave their home country:

  • Conflict and war

  • Poverty and unemployment

  • Political or religious persecution

  • Lack of opportunities and oppressive regimes

• Pull factors attract people to enter a new country:

  • Higher wages and job opportunities

  • Access to a generous welfare state

  • Education and healthcare systems

  • Political stability and safety

  • Weather or climate

Globalisation

• Globalisation has made migration easier due to:

  • faster and more affordable international travel

  • the rise of global labour markets

  • open borders within trading blocs like the EU (before Brexit)

• Many migrants now have transnational lives, maintaining ties with multiple countries and developing hybrid identities

Legislation and border controls

• National governments shape migration patterns through:

  • border control policies (e.g. relaxing or tightening immigration laws)

  • skills-based migration schemes to fill labour shortages

• For example:

  • Australia uses a points-based system to prioritise migrants with in-demand skills like teachers, nurses, and plumbers

  • A higher score increases chances of successful immigration, encouraging skilled workers to apply

Implications of increased net migration

• Sociologists have explored the impact of increased net migration, highlighting significant changes to the UK’s population structure, the diversity of family forms, and the rise of hybrid cultural identities

Population size and age structure

• Migration has a major influence on both the size and age profile of the population

• According to The Migration Observatory (2024) (opens in a new tab), net migration accounted for 60% of UK population growth between 2004 and 2022

• Migrants are typically of working age, helping to reduce the dependency ratio

• Migrant fertility rates tend to be higher:

  • In 2021, UK-born women had a total fertility rate (TFR) of 1.54, while non-UK-born women had a TFR of 2.03

  • Both figures remain below the replacement level of 2.08 births per woman

• Without net migration, the UK population would likely be declining

• Over time, migrant birth rates tend to converge with the host population, gradually reducing their long-term impact on population growth and dependency

Cultural diversity in family structures

• Migration has increased ethnic and cultural diversity, reshaping family life, education, and public services

African-Caribbean families

• Berthoud (2000): African-Caribbean families are more likely to be lone-parent households

• Chamberlain and Goulbourne (2001): Many African-Caribbean women are choosing to raise children independently of the father

• Extended kin, including non-biological relatives, often play a supportive role in childrearing

• Gilroy (2003): Argues this matriarchal structure originates from historical legacies like the slave trade and should be viewed as different, not deficient

Asian families

• Typically more traditional and patriarchal in structure

• Berthoud (2000) found strong extended family ties, low divorce rates, and a high value placed on marriage

• There is little intermarriage with other ethnic groups, possibly due to arranged marriage practices in some Asian communities

Increase in dual-heritage and hybrid identities

• Migration has led to a rise in dual-heritage individuals, especially where families are multi-ethnic

• Children in these families often develop hybrid identities that blend cultural heritage with contemporary British values

African-Caribbean families

• Platt (2009): African-Caribbean people are the most likely group to intermarry, particularly with white partners

• This has led to an increase in mixed-race relationships and children:

  • Only 25% of African-Caribbean children have two black parents

Asian families

• Modood (1997): Identifies tensions faced by second- and third-generation Asians whose values may clash with those of their parents and grandparents

• Eade (1994): Suggests that young British Asians develop layered, hybrid identities

  • For example, identifying as Muslim first, Bangladeshi second, and British third

Globalisation

• Globalisation refers to the growing interconnectedness between societies and the removal of national barriers

  • This enables the freer movement of people, goods, and ideas across the world

• It is driven by several key processes, including:

  • the creation of global markets

  • the growth of mass media and communication technologies

  • the expansion of supranational organisations such as the European Union

• Globalisation has brought about rapid social change, particularly in the form of increased international migration

Trends in global migration

Acceleration

• The rate of global migration has increased significantly

• According to the United Nations, the number of international migrants rose from 275 million in 2020 to 304 million in 2024

Differentiation

• There is now a greater diversity of migrant types, including:

  • permanent settlers

  • students and spouses

  • refugees and asylum seekers

  • legal and undocumented economic migrants

• Some migrants have full legal rights, while others enter without permission

Feminisation of Migration

• Historically, most migrants were men

• Today, women make up a growing share of migrants, often employed in:

  • care work

  • domestic services

  • healthcare and hospitality sectors

Transnational Identities

• Many migrants now maintain strong links to more than one country

• As a result, they may no longer identify with a single national identity but instead develop a more fluid, global sense of belonging

Migrant Identities

• Second- and third-generation migrants often experience tension between their cultural heritage and the host society

• This can lead to the development of hybrid identities, where individuals combine elements of both cultures

The politicisation of migration

• Migration has become an increasingly politicised issue in both the UK and globally, with governments attempting to regulate and control migration flows in response to social, economic, and security concerns

• Governments attempt to manage migration through

  • tightening border controls and implementing stricter immigration laws

  • introducing points-based immigration systems to prioritise skilled workers

  • enforcing anti-terror and national security measures in response to global threats

Assimilation vs multiculturalism

• Assimilation policies aim to encourage migrants to adopt the host country’s norms and abandon their cultural distinctiveness

  • However, many transnational migrants with hybrid identities may resist fully integrating into just one national identity

• Criticisms of assimilation:

  • Castles (2000) argues that assimilation is counterproductive, as it leads to marginalisation

  • Castles and Kosack (1973) suggest it encourages racist scapegoating, where migrants are blamed for social issues such as unemployment

• Multiculturalism attempts to recognise and value cultural diversity, but

  • it has been criticised for failing to ensure full integration

  • governments often shift between assimilation and multiculturalism, especially after major events like 9/11

    • E.g., in France, the wearing of the veil in public was made illegal in 2010

Media and political influence

• Media and political discourse often portray migrants as a threat to

  • jobs

  • public services

  • national identity

• This portrayal contributes to anti-immigration sentiment, fuelling social divisions and shaping public attitudes towards migration policy