Referring to one or more countries, discuss the view that internal (national) migration can help to reduce economic and social disparities.

There are many possible approaches to this question and each should be marked on its merits.

The question warrants a look at “migration” in a wider sense than a single narrow case study. In making a case for or against the view, examples must be used. These examples must be national in scope, and must name individual countries. The response may be spatial in nature or it could refer to the migrants themselves.

Economic disparities that may be referred to are: income / employment (formal or informal) / remittances / labour. Social disparities may be gender related / access to services / demographic in nature / social mobility / housing / education.

For example some academics argue that migrants who move from rural to urban areas tend to improve their standard of living. This argument could be developed with examples. However, the conditions in some urban slums could warrant an increase in disparities within the urban area itself.

Examples of forced internal migration and internally displaced persons could be explored, arguing that disparities can actually increase as a result of, for example, hazards, conflict, land-grabs, economic inequalities.

Responses that only look at either social or economic disparities and do not make use of examples should not progress beyond band D.

At band E both social and economic disparities should be addressed, with effective use of examples.

At band F both social and economic disparities should be addressed, with effective use of examples, and both the negative and positive impacts of the migration on disparities should be addressed.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

This was a popular question and many responses had many case studies to draw upon. Many looked at rural to urban migration within a nation and China and Brazil were popular case studies. Good responses also gave a balanced view of the question, looking at the positive and negative outcomes of the migration in terms of how it reduced disparities. Developed answers covered most parts of the question, with both social and economic disparities exposed. The most accurate, specific, well-detailed answers demonstrated solid attempts at evaluation. Unfortunately there were a minority of responses that addressed international migration between countries and these were penalized, as this was not the question asked.