Recent patterns of change in South African internal migration and their implications for urbanisation and labour markets
in
October 25, 2011 - 12:30 - 13:30
Location: 
Seminar Room, Southwest Engineering Building, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Speaker(s): 
Dorrit Posel, Professor, SARChI Chair: Economic Development, School of Development Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Presentation Abstract

This study investigates trends in internal labour migration and remittances in South Africa, using nationally representative household survey data collected from 1993 to 2008. These data suggest that although the temporary migration of individuals for employment reasons remained a persistent feature of the first post-apartheid decade, the extent of labour migration and remittance receipt has fallen considerably in recent years. The study considers also how differences in the collection of information on labour migration might affect comparability of measures over the years.

Biographical note

Professor Dori Posel holds an NRF Research Chair (SARChI) in Economic Development in the School of Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She has published widely on research relating to labour migration and remittance behaviour, changes in labour force participation and employment, the determinants of earnings, marriage, and intrahousehold resource allocation in South Africa. Her current projects include research on marriage markets and ilobolo, the economics of trust and the determinants of subjective well-being. Dori holds a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst). She has been the recipient of numerous research awards and fellowships, including the Vice-Chancellor's Research Award in 2005.
Email address: posel@ukzn.ac.za
Website address: http://sds.ukzn.ac.za/