@unpublished {65711,
	title = {International Migration in Context: Migrant Types, Strategies and Outcomes},
	year = {2007},
	month = {Sep 20, 2007},
	abstract = {This paper explores types of migrants from Mexico to the United States in the period 1970-2000. Prior work analyzes the distinctions between migrants and non-migrants and suggests a number of theories that explain migration behavior. While each theory uncovers a different facet of migration flows, no single theory is able to capture the complexity of individuals{\textquoteright} migration choices. Furthermore, focusing on what distinguishes migrants from non-migrants, prior research effectively treats migrants as a homogenous group, assuming that they respond to changes in the migration context in the same way. This paper develops a context-dependent model of migration and argues that variations in the social, economic and political context of sending and receiving regions create different conditions for migrating. These conditions are heightened or lessened by migrants{\textquoteright} demographic characteristics and family networks. Hence, together all these elements help identify different types or strategies of migrants. A cluster analysis, informed by theories of migration, finds five distinct types of migrants from Mexico to the United States: network migrants (those who follow family or community migrants), income-maximizing migrants (those who seek to increase their income), risk-diversifying migrants (those who migrate to diversify their sources of income), push migrants (those who migrate to escape worsening economic conditions in Mexico), and pull migrants (those who take advantage of favorable migrating conditions to the U.S.). The relative presence and dominance of each migrant type follows a clear time pattern, signifying critical changes in the Mexican-U.S. migration context. Moreover, migrant types seem to influence several outcomes (legal or illegal entry, subsequent trips, length of stay), and lead to specific predictions not foreseen by the theories of migration. These results not only provide novel insights into the migration process between Mexico and the U.S., but they also show that different theories about why individuals migrate may each be correct in different contexts. Future research should focus on the interrelations among different theories of migration, and identify the specific contexts under which different ideas work.},
	author = {Garip, Filiz}
}
