Urbanization & Migration
The response of many people to changes in economic opportunities and poverty has resulted in increased rural-to-urban and cross-border migration and the urbanization of the world’s population. Nearly half of the world’s population now lives in urban areas. According to the non-profit research organization, Population Reference Bureau (http://www.prb.org), most of the growth in urbanization is expected to occur in developing countries in the coming decades. Greater populations in cities puts stresses on water and sanitation systems, increases traffic congestion and pollution, results in a loss of habitat and agricultural land as urban areas expand outward, increases pressure on infrastructure, transportation and education systems; increases unemployment, crime, and slum areas; and adds to already existing health care problems.
Globalization has impacted all aspects of the social environment, particularly those associated with urbanization. It challenges the cultural and artistic traditions of local and migrant communities and puts at risk the community’s security. Urban communities encounter many problems that result from rapid expansion that impact their health and sustainability: rising poverty rates and increased populations lead to inadequate health care systems, with resulting increases in malnutrition, infant and maternal mortality rates and spread of disease. Similarly, overtaxed and inadequate water and sanitation systems cause health problems. Poor transportation systems, undemocratic land tenure systems, poorly planned built environments and inadequate housing imply that natural resources will be abused. Underdeveloped education systems, ineffective and corrupt governance structures, lack of opportunities for women, and a disenfranchised migrant community add to the cycle of disregard for both human and natural resources.
The Center has sponsored a variety of research initiatives in the area of urbanization and migration. Since the Globalization Research Center (the predecessor to Patel Center) was established in 2001, the Center has supported work on the transmigration between towns in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico and Clearwater, FL. Drs. Amen, Bosman and Archer co-edited a book published by Rowman & Littlefield entitled Relocating Cities: From the Center to the Margins (2006) which analyzed the relationship between globalization and eight cities around the world. In April 2006, the Center hosted a dialogic conference on globalization, cities and culture, which brought together a select group of researchers from around the world. This research will be published in a special issue of the journal Globalizations in May 2007.
Current Projects
Heritage Recreated: Cultural and Social Entrepreneurship among Hidalguenses in the United States and Mexico
Researchers: Maria Crummett, International Affairs, USF & Ella Schmidt, USF-St. Pete
Goal: to help policy makers in both sending and receiving countries understand the processes of economic and social-cultural integration among Mexican migrants to more effectively use them as agents of change
Migration and Globalization
Researcher: Scott Solomon, Government & International Affairs, USF
Goal: to assist states in determining what policies create and/or encourage migration and what are effective policies for harnessing benefits of migration (ie., remittances, know-how, etc).
Tale of Two Cities on the Global Edge: Information Technology and the Metropolitan Restructuring of Orlando and Tampa
Researchers: Kevin Archer & Martin Bosman, Geography, USF
Goal: to help city and regional planners determine what are successful factors in promoting IT-led development
People: USF Researchers