This review of economic theories seeks to expand our understanding of the “pull and push” factors of emigration. It features political economy theories of rational choice, supply and demand, world system, and network. Rational choice theory helps to identify the personal and household considerations for emigration by weighing the costs and the benefits. Supply-and-demand theory takes into account the oversupply of labor as a strong push factor and the demand for labor in advanced industrial countries as a strong pull factor. World system theory focuses on the complex political and economic factors that lead to exploiting third-world countries and create a strong push to emigrate. Finally, network theory can be used to explain the dynamics of immigrant communities in both overseas countries and country of origin that can create a pull toward emigration. The review concludes with the implications of these economic theories for expanding our understanding of human behavior and social environment and international development. © 2009 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Global migration Economic theories Emigration Social environment

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