Researching migration: from prehistory to the present

Blog series Social sciences

Author Ben Hadley, Subject Librarian (Social Sciences)

Immigration impacts every aspect of society. Urban studies reveal the way that cities absorb and incorporate new arrivals into local communities and social studies tell us how public attitudes can influence government policy. Recent public debates on immigration have become increasingly polarised and are often the source of heated exchanges in news forums and on social media. It can be difficult to understand the wider context of migration within these debates or to appreciate the positive benefits that migrant communities can bring to their host countries. The British Library holds a variety of sources that can assist with the study of migrant populations and demographics.

Migration Studies is an interdisciplinary topic that draws on a variety of research from history, economics, law, sociology and postcolonial studies. Migratory patterns can change according to societal pressures, as a symptom of conflict, or because of environmental changes. Researchers in this field often use geographical surveys, urban studies and new theories to produce academic papers that challenge current thinking. It is possible to access a wide field of perspectives from the past 30 years in our collection.

Recent studies engage with perspectives from critical race theory, indigenous studies, and black studies. Understanding the structural inequalities brought about by slavery helps researchers to understand how racism and prejudice influence arguments about migration today. Cultural theorists such as Stuart Hall often link legacies of past social structures to disruption in 20th century communities. His works are referenced in several migration histories and it is possible to view many of Hall’s key works in our collection.

‘Migration: the movement of humankind from prehistory to the present’ (Rob Cohen, 2019) offers a comprehensive overview of the topic beginning with migratory patterns of humans from the East Africa Rift roughly 200,000 years ago. Moving through history it details the persistence of nomadic groups throughout the rise and fall of Empires and the displacement of communities through war and persecution. It also examines several migratory contexts during the 20th century which helped shape the world and its borders in the 21st century. Seismic events often cause the widespread displacement of groups across continents and global diasporas are also formed along the lines of trade, labour, natural disasters and subjugation. This book examines the plight of Jewish, Palestinian, Irish and African diasporas and also explores chosen migratory habits such as marriage, retirement and education.

‘Human Migration: Biocultural perspectives’ (Maria De Lourdes Munoz Moreno and Michael H Crawford, 2021) presents a series of essays that explore the evolutionary flow of populations in different contexts. It examines recent trends surrounding genetics and anthropology and covers a broad range of topics from linguistics and cultural anthropology to archaeology and demography. It weighs the evidence on multiple dispersals of modern humans from Africa and considers adaptive evolution in mixed populations in the Americas.

‘Migration policy and practice: intervention and solutions’ (Harald Bauder, 2015) examines a range of national contexts and interdisciplinary subjects to provide practical guidance on integration and border disputes. The essays in this series discuss the wider social and political issues and the contradictory processes that put migrant policies and border controls at odds with one another. The authors investigate the tension between protecting the rights of refugees and the legal obligation of nation states.

‘Best practices for social work with refugees and immigrants’ (Miriam Potocky-Tripodi, 2019) examines some of the problems faced by social workers in the context of international migration policies. It emphasises the importance of recognising specific traits of different cultures and provides guidance on mental health, family dynamics and education. It also provides information on public attitudes and guidance on how to navigate discriminatory government policies.

Study guides, oral history, maps and official publications can also provide context to wider social studies. To find more source material you can search the catalogue or contact the Social Sciences reference team who can assist with your query.