The Shortest History of Migration

From our earliest wanderings to the rise of the digital nomad, here is the story of human migration.

For hundreds of thousands of years, the ability of Homo sapiens to travel across vast distances and adapt to new environments has been key to our survival as a species. Yet this deep migratory impulse is being tested as never before. By building ever stronger walls and raising barriers to progress, governments are harming the lives of migrants and threatening the future well-being of our societies.

In The Shortest History of Migration, a visionary thinker tells a story of the movement of peoples that spans every age and continent and goes to the heart of what makes us human. Drawn from ancient records and the latest genetic research, it recounts strange, terrible and uplifting tales of migrants past and present, examining the legacies of empire, slavery and war.

Finally, Goldin turns his attention to today’s world, bringing together the evidence of history with the most recent data to suggest how we might create a more humane future – one that allows us to reap the tremendous benefits that migration can offer.

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The Shortest History of Migration is also available in Spanish and will soon be available in the following translations:

Reviews and endorsements:

‘Ian Goldin is one of the great authorities on globalisation’
—Gordon Brown

‘Impressively succinct yet wide-ranging… convincingly shows that migration has always been an integral part of humanity’
—Hein de Haas, author of HOW MIGRATION REALLY WORKS

‘…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, author of MIGRATION: THE MOVEMENT OF HUMANKIND FROM PREHISTORY TO THE PRESENT

‘Compulsively readable, trenchantly argued… 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.’
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

‘…super… fast-paced… very useful… By taking the long view, 300,000 years, he can show that a flexible attitude to moving around the world has been at the very heart of human flourishing.’
—Richard Lofthouse, Oxford Alumni: Off the Shelf

Best books of 2024: Economics
—Financial Times

‘Offers insightful history, analysis, and prescriptions for present and future global migrations… deserves attention from policy makers and publics worldwide.’
—Library Journal, starred review

‘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

‘…succinct… provocative… timely… a valuable history lesson.’
—The Herald Magazine

‘…a forthright history of the ubiquity of world migration.’
—Reviews and Views of Life

‘…Ian Goldin combines historical perspective with contemporary data to advocate for a more humane approach – one that embraces migration’s vast potential for progress.’
—Floreat Domus

‘…an indispensable guide… concise, easy to read and eminently timely.’
—3 Quarks Daily

‘…thought-provoking yet accessible primer.’
— Queen of Treasures