The Shortest History of Migration: When, Why, and How Humans Move - From the Prehistoric Peopling of the Planet to Today and Tomorrow's Migrants

by Ian Goldin

Overview

From the Silk Roads to the Berlin Wall, discover the globe-turning history of human migration. 

“Provides essential context to one of today’s most polarizing debates . . . engrossing and instructive—a must-read.”—Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group

We are a species in motion—from the first steps of Homo sapiens across Africa to America’s “melting pot.” And when we move—in search of better things, or against our will—our beliefs and skills clash and combine, reshaping society time and again.

In this visionary Shortest History of Migration, Ian Goldin uncovers key moments of cultural exchange while carefully examining empire, slavery, and war. Throughout, we meet famous explorers (Zheng He), exiles (Pablo Neruda), and everyday people in extraordinary circumstances: a Jewish man saved by the Kindertransport, a Japanese gardener who blossomed in Mexico City.

Today, freedom of movement is being curtailed, even as climate change and conflict mobilize people everywhere around the world. Goldin reminds us that passports at every border are a modern invention (he traces the “birth of big brother” to World War I), revealing the folly of trying to halt migration—and proposing commonsense policy instead. 

A gripping chronicle of want and wanderlust, this is a moving portrait of humanity—in every sense of the word.

The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read.

#1 Bestseller in Human Geography and Emigration & Immigration

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798893030600
Publisher:	The Experiment
Publication date:	02/11/2025
Series:	The Shortest History Series
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Ian Goldin is the Oxford University Professor of Globalization and Development and founding director of the Oxford Martin School, the world’s leading center for interdisciplinary research into critical global challenges, where he has established forty-five research programs. Previously, he was vice president of the World Bank and its Head of Policy, responsible for its collaboration with the United Nations and key partners. He served as adviser to President Nelson Mandela, has been knighted by the French government, and is the author of three BBC series. Ian has been an advisor to numerous businesses, governments, and foundations and is a founding trustee of the International Center for Future Generations and Chair of the CORE Econ initiative to transform economics. He is the author of twenty-five books, including Age of the City, which was selected by the Financial Times as one of its best books of 2023.

Table of Contents

Preface
Timeline
Introduction

Part 1: The Shortest History of Migration

1. The First Migrants
2. Peopled Planet
3. Empire and Trade
4. Voyages of Discovery and Destruction
5. Slavery
6. Coercion and Control
7. Age of Mass Migration
8. Passports and Problems
9. Wars, Mass Mobilization, and Expulsions
10. Migrants in the Postwar World

Part 2: Migration Today and Tomorrow

1. Who is a Migrant?
2. Migration and the Economy
3. Migration and Development
4. The Future of Migration

Acknowledgments
Further Reading
Endnotes
Index
About the Author

Editorial Reviews

"A uniquely informative account of the state of the world in the 21st century. A riveting account of humanity’s most pressing challenges and innovative solutions."

Steven Pinker

"Ian Goldin is one of the great authorities on globalization."

Gordon Brown

"[A] bold and compelling account of the story of migration . . . generally shifts the global picture away from the usual suspects—the USA and Western Europe. There is much to admire in this book for both old hands and newcomers to the subject."

Robin Cohen

"The ideal complement [to despair] . . . addresses the history, consequences, and opportunities of migration . . . cuts through the political rhetoric to look at the facts."

Financial Times

"Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. . . a seminal study and an unreservedly recommended pick."

Midwest Book Review

"Across the ages of globalization, humanity has always been on move—traversing vast distances to flee dangers, embrace new opportunities, begin new lives, and, at times, to conquer others. Ian Goldin’s wise and informative account depicts the many dimensions of migration and the complex ways that migration has shaped and continues to shape our world. At a time of vexed debates over the causes, consequences, and politics of migration, this book offers us deep and humane insights."

Jeffrey Sachs

"Ian Goldin’s deep dive into the history of migration provides essential context to one of today’s most polarizing debates. The Shortest History of Migration is both engrossing and instructive—a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the critical, yet all too often misunderstood role migration in all its forms has played in humanity’s journey."

Sir Richard Branson

"The current negative and often ideological discourse around immigration can be extremely discouraging and disheartening. Putting this very human phenomenon into a positive historical, social, cultural, and economic perspective is inspiring and uplifting and makes an important contribution to one of the most critical issues of our time."

Inroads

"[A]n indispensable guide to our common origins—and our shared destiny."

Parag Khanna

"Impressively succinct yet wide-ranging . . .convincingly shows that migration has always been an integral part of humanity."

Hein de Haas

"Ian Goldin has written a succinct account of human migration from prehistory to the present, offering a lively introduction to global migration history and trends. He brings attention to large-scale movements, like the mass mobilization of colonial subjects into European armies in World War I and the 18 people million who moved (and the 2 million who died) following the partition of the Indian sub-continent. Goldin acknowledges the costs and often pain of migration while strongly emphasizing its benefits to individuals, communities, countries, and the global economy as a whole."

Kathleen Newland

"Excellent"

Martin Wolf naming it a Financial Times Best Book of 2024

"A Financial Times Best Book of the Year for 2024

A must read for our times . . . . Provides a powerful antidote to the harmful rhetoric around immigration, placing current debates in a historical context. It shows why migrants are essential to make America great again and how migration should be better managed to restore the dynamism of societies."

Thomas L. Friedman

"Few books are timelier. . . Goldin argues that migration has been fundamental to human progress and economic growth, while acknowledging that there are legitimate questions about unregulated immigration policy."

Andrew Keen

★ 2024-11-09
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.

Kirkus Reviews