Ease of Movement

37.6.2: Ease of Movement

One benefit of globalization and the accompanying improvements in transportation technology is the ease of travel.

Learning Objective

Explain how travel has become easier and more universal in the modern age

Key Points

  • As transportation technology improved, travel time and costs decreased dramatically between the 18th and early 20th centuries.
  • The developments in technology and transport infrastructure, such as jumbo jets, low-cost airlines, and more accessible airports, have made many types of tourism more affordable.
  • As of 2014, there were an estimated 232 million international migrants in the world, and approximately half were estimated to be economically active. International movement of labor is often considered important to economic development.
  • More students are seeking higher education in foreign countries and many international students now consider overseas study a stepping stone to permanent residency within a country.
  • As more people have ties to networks of people and places across the globe rather than to a current geographic location, people are increasingly marrying across national boundaries.
  • Because globalization has brought people into greater contact with foreign cultures, some have come to view one or more globalizing processes as detrimental to social well-being on a global or local scale, with xenophobia an issue in many modern societies.

Key Terms

immigration
The international movement of people into a destination country where they do not possess citizenship to settle or reside there, especially as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. People also immigrate to take up employment as migrant workers or temporarily as foreign workers.
tourism
The act of traveling for pleasure, or the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours.
xenophobia
The fear of that perceived as foreign or strange.

An essential aspect of globalization is increased ease of travel. As transportation technology improved, travel time and costs decreased dramatically between the 18th and early 20th centuries. For example, travel across the Atlantic Ocean took up to five weeks in the 18th century, but around the time of the 20th century it took a mere eight days. Today, modern aviation has made long-distance transportation quick and affordable.

Tourism

Tourism is travel for pleasure. Developments in technology and transport infrastructure, such as jumbo jets, low-cost airlines, and more accessible airports, have made many types of tourism more affordable. International tourist arrivals surpassed the milestone of 1 billion for the first time in 2012.

A visa is a conditional authorization granted by a country to a foreigner allowing them to enter and temporarily remain within or leave that country. Some countries – such as those in the Schengen Area – have agreements with other countries allowing citizens to travel between them without visas. The World Tourism Organization announced that the number of tourists who required a visa before traveling was at its lowest level ever in 2015.

Map of scheduled airline traffic around the world, circa June 2009.

Map of scheduled airline traffic around the world, circa June 2009. The map shows 54317 routes.

Immigration

Immigration is the international movement of people into a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship to settle or reside there, especially as permanent residents or naturalized citizens, or to take up employment as a migrant worker or temporary foreign worker. According to the International Labor Organization, as of 2014, there were an estimated 232 million international migrants in the world (defined as persons outside their country of origin for 12 months or more), and approximately half were estimated to be employed or seeking employment. International movement of labor is often seen as important to economic development. For example, freedom of movement for workers in the European Union means that people can move freely between member states to live, work, study, or retire in another country.

Globalization

Globalization is associated with a dramatic rise in international education. More nd more students are seeking higher education in foreign countries and many international students now consider overseas study a stepping stone to permanent residency within a country. The contributions that foreign students make to host nation economies, both culturally and financially, has encouraged the implementation of further initiatives to facilitate the arrival and integration of overseas students, including substantial amendments to immigration and visa policies and procedures.

Transnational Marriage

Transnational marriage is a marriage between two people from different countries and a by-product of the movement and migration of people. A variety of special issues arise in marriages between people from different countries, including those related to citizenship and culture, which add complexity and challenges to these kinds of relationships. In an age of increasing globalization, where a growing number of people have ties to networks of people and places across the globe rather than to a current geographic location, people are increasingly marrying across national boundaries.

Reactions

Because globalization has brought people into greater contact with foreign peoples and cultures, some have come to view one or more globalizing processes as detrimental to social well-being on a global or local scale. Xenophobia is the fear of that perceived as foreign or strange. Xenophobia can manifest itself in the relations and perceptions of an in-group towards an out-group, including the fear of losing one’s identity, suspicion of another group’s activities, aggression, and a desire to eliminate its presence to secure a presumed purity.

Attributions