Research on the environmental dimensions of human migration has made
important strides in recent years. However, findings have been spread across
multiple disciplines with wide-ranging methodologies and limited theoretical
development. This article reviews key findings of the field and identifies
future directions for sociological research. We contend that the field has
moved beyond linear environmental “push” theories toward a greater integration
of context, including micro-level, meso-level, and macro-level interactions.
We highlight findings that migration is often a household strategy
to diversify risk (new economics of labor migration theory), interacting with
household composition; individual characteristics; social networks; and historical,
political, and economic contexts. We highlight promising developments
in the field, including the recognition that migration is a long-standing
form of environmental adaptation and yet only one among many forms of
adaptation. Finally, we argue that sociologists could contribute significantly
to migration–environment inquiry through attention to issues of inequality,
perceptions, and agency vis-a-vis structure.