International migration is an issue of intense public and political concern. How closely linked are migrants with terrorist organizations? What factors lie behind the dramatic increase in the number of women migrating?

This Very Short Introduction looks at the global phenomenon of human migration - both legal and illegal - revealing how migration actually presents opportunities that must be taken advantage of in light of the current economic climate. The author debunks myths such as the claim that migrants take jobs away from local workers, or that they take advantage of health-care systems. He reveals why society as we now know it could not function without them.

Using interviews with migrants from around the world, the author presents the human side of topics such as asylum and refugees, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, development, and the international labor force. His goal throughout is to allow listeners to see beyond the negative spin usually given the subject by the media and politicians, and to come to their own conclusions on the current international migration situation.

This is a valuable reference for students of economics, politics, geography, or sociology, and for anyone interested in taking a deeper look at media coverage of immigration and its effects.