THE SHORTEST HISTORY OF MIGRATION

An expansive, equity-based history of human migration.

For Goldin, migration is a “deeply personal” topic: his grandparents and his father fled antisemitic violence in their home countries, while Goldin himself left his home in South Africa as a result of his principled opposition to the apartheid regime. In this volume, the author traces the social, political, and cultural contexts that shaped migration long before his own family made their decisions to leave and that continue to contribute to economic and social equalities in modern times. Goldin writes, “Understanding why inequality persists and how it can be addressed requires that we understand migration.” What follows this personal introduction is a sweeping survey of the causes and consequences of immigration, beginning with the ever-changing scientific evidence informing the dispersal of the first humans from Africa and continuing through the development of ancient international trade routes like the Silk Road; the rise of involuntary migration through indentured servitude and slavery; the ways in which colonialism continues to influence modern times; and the genocide that too often prompted or accompanied mass migrations. This deeply researched book is full of surprising truths, such as the nationalist and capitalistic reasoning behind issuing passports—a practice that, incidentally, began surprisingly recently—and the role diseases played in sealing previously porous borders. Goldin’s crisp analysis, combined with his thorough research, results in a work that draws clear connections between ancient events and the modern world. His use of an equity lens is extraordinarily effective at uncovering patterns that underly our current discourse; his argument that, economically, “migration more than repays any initial expense” is particularly compelling.

A compulsively readable, trenchantly argued analysis of equity and immigration.