Practical illustration of the Migration theory

Mustapha is a 28 year old unemployed graduate from Accra, Ghana. He is a graduate from one of the universities in Ghana and has been i search for employment for the past 5 years. He helps his parents operate a small family business whiles he sends his applications for employment. Over the years, Mustapha ventured into farming and other business start-ups but failed largely due to lack of capital among other factors. As a result of his economic insecurity, his desire and aspiration to travel to Europe has increased with time since Europe is known to be a wealthy continent of assured economic security. Comparing the situation in Ghana and some European countries through information he gathered through the media, family and friends, he concluded that migrating to one of the European countries guarantee his economic security. Mustapha’s uncle living in one of the European countries upon hearing Mustapha’s situation in Ghana offered to help him travel to join him abroad. Due to the lack of resources available for Mustapha to facilitate his travel, his uncle offered to assist him with a loan. A loan Mustapha was expected to pay back after he had succeeded in travelling to join his uncle. Mustapha by comparing his situation, his potential destination country and the offer his uncle offered if it was worth travelling, he decided to travel out of Ghana.

Macro, meso and micro levels of the migration theory can be deduced from the story of Mustapha. Mustapha’s economic insecurity in Ghana is considered to be a push factor of migration which explains the macro level of the migration theory. The information Mustapha gathered through media, family and friends explains the meso level of migration. Mustapha’s uncle who served as a migration network made Mustapha’s travelling possible. The micro level was explained through the personal decision made by Mustapha to travel by considering his macro level conditions, the meso level factors and his individual traits among other. It can be said Mustapha conducted a cost-benefit analysis at the micro level. The interdependence of the macro, meso and micro levels of the migration theory explains the event of migration.