Why, When and How? The Role of Inequality in Migration Decision-making

This chapter explores how migration decision-making intersects with both tangible and intangible inequalities. We define tangible inequalities as those that can be measured, such as wealth, differences in education or health, while intangible inequalities refer to those that are less observable and more subjective, such as imagination, personality traits, emotions, feelings, beliefs and values based on individual’s perceptions. With the literature on tangible inequalities and migration decision-making being well established, the key contribution of this chapter is to instead amplify emerging literature in the Global South on the synergies between intangible inequalities and migration. First, we show that perceptions of inequality are multi-dimensional, intersectional and overlapping. Second, we argue that focusing on perceptions in addition to quantitative data can dramatically increase our understanding of migration decision-making. Third, we explore how these perceptions are shaped and experienced by migrants at different stages of the migration cycle. Additionally, we also consider the role that policies intended to address inequalities play in migration decision-making, given that such policies are often designed to deter migration from the Global South.