ABSTRACT
This chapter utilises the findings of a research project on Ethiopian migration to explore the extent to which the rationales and theories underpinning contemporary analyses of migration can explain Ethiopian migration to the Western world. It considers the empirical case of Ethiopian migration to the West with respect of the theories that have played a significant role in informing debates within the field of migration studies. The central hypothesis in these traditional theories rests on what are termed 'push-pull' factors, namely, the idea that poorly populated countries would attract populations in over-populated countries where the authorities would encourage the departure of their nationals. If 'the new economy of migration' constitutes an insufficient approach to explaining Ethiopian migration to the West, it opens an interesting prospect of analysing the new tendency that observed among certain Ethiopian families. The dual labour market theory proposes to allocate the decisive role in migration to requests from companies in receiving countries.
