Introduction

This chapter reviews migration theory in order to provide context for the central question of the book and the latter case-study chapters. It starts by exploring the theoretical contributions that, since the nineteenth century, have tied modernisation, economic growth and social transformation to increasing population mobility. It then introduces recent empirical evidence from the United States that shows that one important element of population mobility, internal migration, has been declining for much of the late twentieth century and considers some possible explanations for this in terms of structural change in advanced societies. Taking this idea forward, the case is made for comparative research to investigate what is happening in other similar countries and theoretical arguments are put forward to explain declining internal migration. It concludes by setting out the plan of the book and outlining the succeeding chapters.