SP445 Half Unit
Migration and Inequality
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Prof Lucinda Platt
Availability
This course is available on the MSc in Inequalities and Social Science, MSc in International Migration and Public Policy, MSc in International Migration and Public Policy (LSE and Sciences Po), MSc in International Social and Public Policy, MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Development), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Education), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (LSE and Fudan), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Migration), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Non-Governmental Organisations) and MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Research). This course is freely available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. It does not require permission. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
Where applications exceed the cap, priority will be given to students on listed programmes. Applicants will be asked to complete a short statement identifying their interest in the course. This will be used to discriminate between applicants within listed programmes or between those on other programmes applying where capacity remains.
All Social Policy Courses are ‘Controlled Access’.
Other than for students in the first category below, when applying for a course all students are required to provide a written statement explaining why they wish to take that course.
Statements are considered by the Course Convenor and, where merited by the statement, places are offered in the following priority order:
1. Students for whom the course is a ‘core course’ on their Programme Regulations (these students should already be allocated to the course in LSE for you – i.e. no written statement is required).
2. Students for whom the course appears as an ‘optional core course’ on their Programme Regulations (where students have to choose between a small number of core options).
3. Students for whom the course appears as an optional course on their Programme Regulations.
4. Other Social Policy students.
5. LSE students from Departments other than Social Policy.
Please note: The number of students that can be accommodated on most courses is limited. If a course is over-subscribed, places will be allocated at the Convenor’s discretion, based on student statements. Therefore, you are advised to have an alternative course in mind in case you are unable to secure your first-choice course selection.
If offered a place on a Social Policy course, please accept the place as early as possible. NB: Offers will ‘time-out’ after 48 hours and the place will be offered to another student. If you wish to reject an offer, please do so as early as possible so that the place can be offered to one of your fellow students.
Close of Course Selection is on the 10 October 2025 (dependant on availability of course places).
Please Note: No places will be offered on Social Policy courses UNTIL 1pm on 29th September 2025.
For queries contact: socialpolicy.msc@lse.ac.uk
Course content
International migration is linked to inequality at both origin and destination in multiple ways, with potentially countervailing impacts. This course examines the relationship between migration and inequality by considering a) the effects of migration on inequality in the destination country (e.g. through impacts on the concentrations at the top and bottom of the distribution) and for non-migrants and immigrants; b) the effects of emigration on inequality in the origin country; and c) the implications of migration for global inequalities. It examines the ways in which migrants are selected and the implications for their outcomes at destination as well as for the origin country, the relevance of (selective) return migration for development and for exacerbating or mitigating national and international inequalities, and the role of remittance income in reducing or enhancing inequalities. It also looks at elite migration, social mobility of migrants as mobility as a signifier of advantage as well as a consequence of disadvantage. It addresses inequality as a driver – and sometimes a consequence of migration, but also examines the ways in which certain policies or policy regimes can mitigate or enhance the relationship between migration and inequality. It draws on migration literature from sociology, social policy, political science and economics, though with a particular focus on the sociological and stratification literature. Week by week coverage is as follows:
- Introduction: aims of the course, overview of themes – inequalities at origin, at destination and globally. Migration as a means to addressing global inequality?
- Migrant selection (1): the drivers of and options for migration; implications of migrant selectivity for inequality in origin countries
- Remittances and return – sources of development and/ or of inter- and intra-country inequality? empirical evidence and debates?
- Labour migration programmes: creating opportunities or inequalities?
- Student migration – a special case?
- READING WEEK
- Migrant selection (2) implications of migrant selectivity for outcomes of migrants and for inequalities between migrants and integration at destination
- Labour market implications of migration – impacts on (inequalities) of wages at destination – issues, measures and debates
- Social mobility of migrants and the immigrant aspiration ‘paradox’ – theory and empirical evidence
- Forms of ‘elite’ migration: sustaining inequalities across the globe: transnational employees, golden passports and the globally mobile elite
- Conclusions and student-selected topic
Teaching
15 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the Winter Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.
Formative assessment
Essay (1500 words) in Winter Term Week 7
Indicative reading
Abramitzky, R. and Boustan, L. 2022. Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success. Public Affairs.
Chae, S., and Glick, J. E. (2019). Educational Selectivity of Migrants and Current School Enrolment of Children Left behind: Analyses in Three African Countries. International Migration Review, 53(3): 736– 769.
Docquier, Frédéric, and Hillel Rapoport. 2012. Globalization, Brain Drain, and Development. Journal of Economic Literature, 50 (3): 681-730.
Dustmann, C. Kastis, Y. and Preston, I. (2024). Inequality and immigration. Oxford Open Economics, 3, i453–i473. https://doi.org/10.1093/ooec/odad052.
Feliciano, Cynthia. 2020. Immigrant Selectivity Effects on Health, Labor Market, and Educational Outcomes. Annual Review of Sociology 46(1):315–34.
Fitzsimmons, Stacey R., Jen Baggs, and Mary Yoko Brannen. 2020. ‘Intersectional Arithmetic: How Gender, Race and Mother Tongue Combine to Impact Immigrants’ Work Outcomes’. Journal of World Business 55(1):101013.
Platt, Lucinda, Migration and Social Stratification (forthcoming 2025). In M. Gangl, L.Platt, J. Polavieja and H. Van de Werfhorst. The Oxford Handbook of Social Stratification. Oxford: OUP.
Takenaka, A. and Pren, K.A. (2010). Determinants of emigration: comparing migrants’ selectivity from Peru and Mexico. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 630(1):178-93.
World Bank. 2018. Moving for Prosperity: Global Migration and Labor Markets. Policy Research Report. Washington, DC: World Bank.
Assessment
Essay (100%, 2500 words) in Spring Term Week 1
Key facts
Department: Social Policy
Course Study Period: Winter Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
Keywords: Migration, Inequality, Selectivity, Mobility
Total students 2024/25: Unavailable
Average class size 2024/25: Unavailable
Controlled access 2024/25: NoCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Application of numeracy skills