Asian and Pacific Islander Migration to the United States: A Model of New Global Patterns

This analysis of contemporary Asian and Pacific Islander immigration to the United States offers a synthesis of findings on global migration. It presents a series of principles regarding new double-step patterns in population movements at the end of the 20th century. This discussion of new paths and modes of world migration is intended for a broad, inter-disciplinary audience of students, teachers, and professionals in ethnic studies, US history, Asian and Asian-American studies, studies relating to the Pacific Rim, sociology, demographics, and international relations. The study of multi-level and multi-directional global migration opens with an analysis of world migration theory, macro and micro factors in international migration, and a review of research about recent migration patterns. Next, it offers propositions about factors that have affected decisions of peoples to move elsewhere, their adjustment to new countries, their return migrations, and the impact of international migration. Asian and Pacific Island immigration to the United States is examined along with extensive data based on US immigration records. This fourth wave of immigration to the United States is then analysed in detail. Accompanying this data and analysis is a model of double stepwise international migration, extremely useful for those studying the intricacies of global patterns of migration. Barkan concludes with other data on mobility variables.