Addressing the causes of mass migrations: Leapfrog solutions for mutual prosperity growth between regions of emigration and regions of immigration. (August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fox, Stephen
• Is Part Of: Technology in society. Volume 46(2016)
• Page Start: 35
• Page End: 39
• Publication Date: 2016-08
• Subjects: Mass migration -- Industrialization -- Centralization -- Preconceptions -- Prosperity -- Emigration -- Immigration -- Leapfrog -- Off-grid -- Mobile technologies -- Latent realities -- Diaspora; Technology -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 303.483
• DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2016.05.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-791X

Abstract

Abstract: Mass migrations can be perceived to be intractable crises comprising maritime rescues, security reinforcements, violent protests, and other high socio-economic costs. Yet, intractable real-world problems can be dealt with by changing their representations and seeing new associations. In this paper, it is argued that addressing the causes of mass migrations can be represented as opportunities for mutual prosperity growth rather than as intractable socio-economic crises. In addition, new associations for addressing the causes of mass migration are set-out in terms of leapfrog solutions. These are solutions that enable people to skip centralized inflexible dirty industrialization and go straight to local flexible clean solutions. Some leapfrog solutions are off-grid for local sanitation management and local energy generation. Other leapfrog solutions are mobile, such as Web-based education platforms, moveable factories, and text-based banking. Leapfrog solutions disintermediate, democratize and distribute opportunities. In other words, leapfrog solutions make the means to create prosperity directly accessible to all kinds of people in all kinds of places. Four inter-related leapfrog strategies are proposed for mutual prosperity growth between regions of emigration and regions of immigration as follows: highly distributed infrastructure; prosumption with leapfrog solutions; mutual prosperity hubs; and access to latent resources. Overall, it is argued mass migrations can appear to be intractable crises due to out-of-date preconceptions about how to establish prosperity. Highlights: Increased industrialization and centralization can increase mass migration. Mass migrations appear to be intractable crises due to out-of-date preconceptions about how to establish prosperity. The causes of mass migrations can be addressed with leapfrog solutions. Leapfrog solutions can enable highly distributed prosumption of prosperity infrastructures. Prosumption can be facilitated by hubs for physical, digital, and latent resources.