Understanding migration decisions and their reverberations

Migration has become a defining feature of the contemporary global landscape. It is estimated that in 2020, there were 281 million international migrants worldwide, repre- senting 3.6% of the world’s population (IOM, 2022). International migration (henceforth typically abbreviated simply as migration) is one of the most complex issues facing policymakers today, and understanding its many inter- connected factors is essential for designing effective policies. The decision to migrate is a complex one that involves a wide range of economic, social, and political factors at both the individual and household levels. Once the decision to migrate is made, forecasting the flow of refugees and migrants becomes crucial for policy-makers and practitioners alike. Finally, the perception of host populations toward immigrants and refugees is an impor- tant aspect of the migration process that can shape the success or failure of integration policies and programs. My dissertation delves into the complexities of the migration process, which involves various steps that policymakers need to consider when crafting efficient policies. To this end, I have written four papers that explore different aspects of migration. These papers cover a wide range of topics, including the decision to migrate, predicting refugee flows, and examining public attitudes toward immigrants, both generally and in Sub-Saharan African countries in particular. Furthermore, I employ four different methods across my four papers - survey-observational, machine learning, meta-analytic, and experimental - to gain a more complete understanding of the decision to migrate and its various factors. By taking this broad approach both thematically as well as methodology-wise, I can provide detailed insights into the complexities of migration and offer valuable guidance for policymakers seeking to design effective and evidence-based policies.

IOM. (2022). World migration report 2022. IOM.