Chapter 2 Discussion Questions

Chapter 2 Discussion Questions

At the Crossroads: Africa on the Map of Human Migrations

  1. How have historical patterns of migration, both forced and voluntary, in your country impacted the different categories of racial identity that exist? Have recent shifts in immigration policy introduced any new categories of racial or legal identity that might not have existed in past generations?
  1. In the social sciences, studies of human migration have evolved from Zelinsky’s original “Mobility Transition” model to Martin & Taylor’s more recent “Migration Hump” theory. Drawing on examples from the chapter, select two of the major theories and highlight the ways in which it was challenged by other social scientists and the merits that it still holds within the field of anthropology.
  1. Researchers often think of experiences of migration in terms of those who leave home, but what does the story of Hicham’s family reveal about the unique challenges and unique opportunities of those who stay behind? What does Hicham mean when he says: “being a Moroccan means being a migrant”?
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