Global Migration and Development

The debate on international migration and development currently focuses on South-North migration, transnationalism, remittances and knowledge transfer. The potential positive role of migration for countries and regions the emigrants originate from has recently been acknowledged by, among others, the World Bank, United Nations Commissions and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). This volume addresses the question: to what extent and under what conditions does international migration contribute to local and national development? By presenting novel insights and themes on the basis of new empirical evidence from various countries, this volume is an indispensable addition to the international discussion on migration.

Ernst Spaan is a social anthropologist with a research interest in population and development issues, international migration, ethnic entrepreneurship and inter-ethnic relations. He has been researcher at the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI) since 1997. Recently, he co-edited Asian Migrants and European Labour Markets (2005, Routledge) and Contemporary Migrations in Asia and Europe: Exploring Transnationalism, Multiple Linkages and Development (Special Issue of Asian and Pacific Migration Journal 2005).

Ton van Naerssen is associate professor in development geography at the Radboud University Nijmegen (The Netherlands). His major fields of interest include globalization processes, urban development in developing countries, and international migration. He was co-editor of (2002) Healthy Cities in Developing Countries. Lessons to be Learnt. Saarbrucken (Germany) and (2005) Asian Migrants and European Labour Markets. London: Routledge. He recently participated in research funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs on ‘International migration and Development in sub-Sahara Africa".

Annelies Zoomers is professor in regional development policy and international migration at the Department of Geography, Radboud University Nijmegen and associate professor at the Centre for Latin American Research and Documentation (CEDLA), University of Amsterdam. Her specialisations include rural and regional development, sustainable livelihood and development policy, and international migration. Recent articles has been published in Social Scientist, InternationalDevelopment Review and Journal of Economic and Social Geography, TESG), Among others she is co-editor of Imagining the Andes: Shifting margins of a Marginal World (Amsterdam 2003) and Land and Sustainable Livelihood in Latin America (Amsterdam/Madrid 2001). She was consultant for various development programmes in African and Latin American countries.