The Theoretical Approaches and Empirical Studies of Migration: Immigrant Adaptation and Integration

Abstract

This paper is designed to introduce the theoretical approaches and empirical studies to understanding migration history, patterns, policies, and practices, and immigrant adaptation and integration in the different contexts over time through reading journal articles and book chapters from a rich body of literature that has explained migrations from a theoretical perspective. The endeavor that is accomplished made by Massey et al. (1990), Boyd (1989), and Portes and Zhou (1993) to compile different perspectives on the study of migration have become a classical reference for the study of migration theories.  The paper will begin by introducing theoretical approaches followed by examining historical and current patterns in migration as a classical reference for the study of migration theories. The researcher will then focus on how different immigrant groups are integrating socially, economically, and politically into the U.S. as an example. This paper will cover both theoretical approaches and empirical studies that utilize various research design to examine questions related to immigration and integration. The researcher will describe a research study for questions of interest related to immigration and immigrant integration. This paper will help to develop links between theory, concepts, empirical research and outcomes relating to immigrant incorporation.