Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book confirms that this division of labour has largely been an artificial one, unnecessarily obscuring the similarities-and some of the equally instructive dissimilarities- between many of the central issues in internal and international migration, such as the social organization of migration, the structure and culture of migrant communities, the role of voluntary associations, the impact of migration on the home communities, entrepreneurship and employment, and the formation of regional and ethnic identities. Home communities are often active in coordinating migration and structuring migrant communities. Back in the village, migrants living in different places meet each other and members of the local elite, who include permanently returned migrants; here, information is exchanged, business partners are found, deals are made, and labour is recruited.