Migration stocks and flows: Data concepts, availability and comparability

Abstract

The study of migration data from a single data source commonly provides a limited and sometimes biased view. In order to obtain a broader view of migration patterns and trends, and a firmer empirical basis for developing robust migration theories, migration data from multiple sources are vital. In this chapter we provide an overview of migration data collections that can help provide a sounder basis for migration research. This is first undertaken for traditional sources of migration data such as censuses, administrative sources and surveys before exploring newer sources such mobile phone call detail records or geo-tagged digital records from social media. We find each data source has its particular strengths and weaknesses and argue for the need for statistical models to integrate all data sources to provide a harmonised data on migration.