© t. m. whitmore today r – u migration social geography class development race religion

© T. M. Whitmore

Today•R – U Migration•Social Geography

ClassDevelopmentRaceReligion

© T. M. Whitmore

Questions?•Other Migrations•Remittances

© T. M. Whitmore

4th type: rural => urban migration

•What is it? rural to urban migration =>

permanent change of residence•Why migrate?

“Push” and “Pull” forceseconomic welfaresocial welfare other factors

© T. M. Whitmore

Why migrate I?•Economic (pushes & pulls)

Lack of landFew non-farm opportunitiesLittle upward mobilityDevelopment => fewer rural jobs &

jobs with less dignityFamily strategy of income diversity

© T. M. Whitmore

Why migrate II?•Social (pushes & pulls)

EducationHealth care access

© T. M. Whitmore

Why migrate III?•Other (pushes & pulls)

EnvironmentalViolenceIndividual factors

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Who migrates?•Age •Gender •Marital status•Education level•Personal•Ethnicity

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How do migrants move?•Migration patterns

Role of information Role of social networksStep vs direct migrationFill-in migration Role of distance

© T. M. Whitmore

Wealth/Income I• Average income in GNI in PPP/capita

World ~ $9,100 Lesser developed ~ $4,400-$4,900USA ~ $41,900

• Latin America ~ $7,900Low (< $5,000)

Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador

Jamaica, Haiti Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay

Above LA average (> $7,900) Costa Rica, Mexico Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay

© T. M. Whitmore

Wealth/Income II• Percent living on less than US$2/day

World ~ 53%• LA ~ 24%

Low: > 30% living on < $2/day Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El

Salvador Jamaica Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru

Above LA average: < 20% living on < $2/day Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama Columbia, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina

© T. M. Whitmore

Wealth distribution•USARichest 20% have 40% of all incomePoorest 20% have 5% 65% in middle

•Latin America Richest 20% have 50-65% of all incomePoorest 20% have 2-5%30% in the middleCountries with top 20% with more than

50% of all incomeBrazil, Panama, Costa Rica, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela

© T. M. Whitmore

Wealth distribution II•Changing for the worse in most

countriesMexico, Guatemala, Columbia,

Venezuela, Argentina, Chile•Varies within countries

Mexico: N vs SBrazil: NE vs S

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Social development indicators•The Human Development Index •Safe water access•Population to hospital bed ratio•Overall worst levels of human

developmentBolivia; Ecuador; Paraguay; PeruEl Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras;

NicaraguaDominican Republic; Haiti

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Catholic Heritage I•Spanish Catholic roots •Spiritual conquest — an integral part of

the conquest of the Americas•Legacy of Church’s history in Latin

AmericaIdentified with power/economic eliteReform in form of liberation theology

=> oppression of the poor is a sin

© T. M. Whitmore

Catholic Heritage II• Overwhelmingly people say “soy Catholico”

= “I am a Catholic” Church attendance is often lowBut presence is everywhere

• “Folk” Catholicism — merging of Roman Catholic ritual and beliefs with indigenous (Amerindian) beliefs

• Roman Catholic beliefs have merged with various African religious traditions in the Caribbean and Brazil especially

© T. M. Whitmore

Religion: Non-Catholic• Hindu and Islam — imported with indentured

labor to Suriname, Guiana, Trinidad & Tobago mostly (but minorities in all of the Caribbean)

• Judaism — accompanied 1st migrants from Spain (conversos)

• Evangelical Protestants — Protestants outlawed in Spanish/Portuguese colonial timesVery rapid growth in past few decades~40% of Guatemala~1/3 of Brazil

© t. m. whitmore today r – u migration social geography class development race religion

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