This chapter discusses intercultural adaptation in the context of globalization and migration. It introduces a multi-level framework to analyze adaptation at the micro, meso, and macro levels. At the macro level, theories include push-pull, world systems theory, melting pot, and pluralism. Micro theories examine migrant-host relationships through assimilation, separation, integration, and intercultural transformation. Meso theories analyze migrant networks and social capital. The chapter also explores the challenges of modern migration and the four types of migrant groups.

1. Crossing Borders: Migration and
Intercultural Adaptation
Chapter 5

2. Chapter Objectives
To understand intercultural border To explore the unique aspects of
migration and intercultural adaptation
crossing and adaptation within the today as well as the similarities with
context of globalization earlier waves of world migration
To introduce and apply a To gain understanding
multi-level framework to
and empathy for the
analyze intercultural
adaptation that accounts for challenges and rewards
micro, meso and macro-level of migration and
factors and influences intercultural adaptation in
the context of
globalization.

3. Introduction
TONI MORRISON:
“Come to terms with being, fearing and accepting
strangers”
MIGRATION & IDENTITY
 1 out 35 people living
outside country of origin
(nearly 200 million people)
 912 million crossed borders
for tourism, business, etc.
 Why are people on the
move today?
 Who can cross
borders? Who is
restricted?

4. Border crossing and migration in the
context of globalization are shaped
by:
 Advances in transportation
and communication
technologies
 The integration of global
capital and markets
 The neoliberal policies
 Escalation in intra-national
and international conflict
 Increasingly restrictive and
punitive immigration policies

5. Types of Migrants
Involuntary
Voluntary Migrants
Migrants
Sojourners
Refugees
Immigrants
Human
trafficking
MIGRANTS IN
THE CONTEXT OF
GLOBALIZATION
Transmigrants

7. Four Types Of
Migrant Groups:
SHORT-TERM LONG-TERM
VOLUNTARY 1. Sojourners 2.Immigrants
4. Human
INVOLUNTARY 3. Refugees Trafficking

8. PRIMARY REASONS PEOPLE
IMMIGRANTS COME TO THE U.S.
1. To join other family members
Voluntary migrants who 2. For employment
leave one country and 3. To escape from war, famine, or
poverty
settle permanently in
another country. TWO KINDS OF MIGRANT
LABOR
A. Long Term 1. Cheap manual labor
B. Voluntary 2. Highly skilled intellectual labor
VOLUNTARY MIGRANTS ***Increase of women immigrants as
Migrants who choose to domestics***
leave their home to travel or
re-locate.

9. REFUGEES
People who flee their
countries of origin due to war
and famine, or those seeking
asylum for political reasons
today.
INVOLUNTARY
MIGRANTS
Migrants who are
forced to leave
due to famine,
war, and political
or religious
persecution.

10. A form of involuntary migration in which people are
transported for sex work and other types of labor against
their will.

11. Historical Overview of World Migration
THE FIRST WAVE OF
WORLD MIGRATION
 From the 16th century through the 19th century.
 Thousands of migrants sailed out of ports of Europe for colonies in
Africa, Asia and the Americas.
 They appropriated the so-called “empty” lands and used
indigenous peoples to extract the material wealth of the land.
 The forced migration of over 15 million slaves from the west coast
of Africa.
 The rise in economic and political power of European nations.

12. CHAIN MIGRATION
THE SECOND WAVE
Linkages that connect
From the mid 1800s to the migrants from points of origin
early 1900s during the to destinations, led to the
industrial revolution. segmentation of ethnic
groups in the U.S.
NATIVIST MOVEMENTS
Movements that called for the exclusion of foreign-born people.
XENOPHOBIA
The fear of outsiders. It dramatically curtailed immigration to
the U.S. until after WW II.

13. GUEST WORKERS
PROGRAMS
POSTCOLONIAL MIGRANTS:
Migrants who leave former colonies
and re-locate in colonizing
countries.

14. LATE 20TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT
 Rapid, complex, multidirectional and diverse
 “Sending” and “receiving” countries not distinct
 South to North migration (3rd to 1st World)
 High and Low skilled labor
 Migrant networks
 Altering “host” countries
 Feminization of the workforce

15. Theories of Migration
MACRO-LEVEL THEORIES
Nation-state, global
political/economic structure
MICRO-LEVEL THEORIES
Interpersonal, communal,
face-to-face
MESO-LEVEL THEORIES
In-between macro and micro
levels

16. Macro-level Theories
PUSH-PULL THEORY WORLD SYSTEMS THEORY
Global capitalism and
Economic opportunities and inequitable economic
structure.
life circumstances push/pull
the migrants. International migration today is a result of
the structure of the global capitalism.

17. Macro-level Theories
MELTING POT Pluralism
A metaphor of U.S. society that An idea or ideology that
the migrants’ adaptation to a
new culture inevitably requires
emphasizes the maintenance
and allows newcomers to “melt” of ethnic and cultural values,
or “blend” into the mainstream to norms and practices within a
form a cohesive whole. multicultural society.
BRAIN DRAIN:
An aspect of high-skilled
migration in which high-
skilled workers migrate
to another country.

18. Micro-level Theories
MIGRANT-
HOST
RELATIONSHIP
S
 Assimilation
 Separation
 Marginalization
 Integration

19. Micro-level Theories
Integrative Theory of Cultural
Intercultural Transformation
Adaptation
Individual and environment co-
define adaptation process:
 Emergence of intercultural
 Attitudes and receptivity of identity
host environment
 As a result of stress-
 Ethnic community
adaptation-growth process
 Psychological characteristics
of the individual

20. MESO-LEVEL THEORIES
MIGRANT NETWORKS SOCIAL CAPITAL
A set of interpersonal ties that The sense of commitment and
connect migrants, former
obligation people within a
migrants, and non-migrants in
origin and destination areas group or network have to look
through ties of kinship, friendship after the well-being and
and shared community origin. interests of one another.
XENOPHOBIA NATIVIST MOVEMENTS
Fear of outsiders, foreigners. Movements that call for the
exclusion of foreign-born
people.