World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration

Provides an encompassing overview of migration routes and dispersal of human populations around the world

World on the Move brings together the current state of knowledge about migration and displacement in a single, easily accessible volume. Written as a companion to “World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration,” a traveling exhibition developed by the American Anthropological Association and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, this thought-provoking book helps us reframe the ways we think and talk about migration.

World on the Move opens by describing the basic patterns and processes of migration and discussing the evidence used to measure migration, displacement, and their impacts. Subsequent chapters trace major population movements through human history, review the different reasons that propel the movement of human populations, and illustrate the many ways that migration affects us all. The final section focuses on international and national policies on immigration and displacement, including perspectives on birthright citizenship, migrant mothers and their children, and migration driven by climate change.

Drawing on a wealth of case studies of diverse cultures from across human history, World on the Move:

• Employs the “Crossroads” concept, an innovative narrative device that reveals connections between peoples, cultures, and moments when crucial decisions are made
• Discusses ways research on migration and displacement have been used to support public policy
• Highlights the roles of ever-evolving genetic, archaeological, and linguistic evidence in reshaping understanding of human population movements
• Explains basic terms, patterns, and processes of migration and displacement, as well as various evaluation and interpretation methods
• Addresses timely and complex issues such as enslavement and trafficking, border walls, immigration policy, and climate change

Presenting the latest scholarship on the peopling of the continents, World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration is an excellent textbook for undergraduate courses in anthropology, sociology, political science, cultural geography, and immigration studies, particularly those exploring migration, displacement, diaspora, and immigration policy.

Edward Liebow is Affiliate Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Washington and Research Associate at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. From 2012-2023 he served as Executive Director of the American Anthropological Association (AAA). He has been the leader of the public education initiative, World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration.

James I. Deutsch is Curator at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and Professorial Lecturer in American Studies at George Washington University. He has planned and developed public programs on California, China, the Peace Corps, the Apollo Theater, NASA, the Mekong River, the US Forest Service, and World War II, among others.

Daniel Ginsberg is Director of Strategic Initiatives at the American Anthropological Association. They manage the AAA’s institutional research program, which studies anthropologists’ careers and anthropology education. They support AAA fellowship and internship programs, public education initiatives, academic relations, and professional services.

Sojin Kim is Curator at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. She formerly served as a curator at the Japanese American National Museum and the Natural History Museum of LA County. She currently serves on the board of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation (APIAHiP).

Caitlyn Kolhoff is Manager of Continuing Education Services for the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. She formerly managed education programs at the American Anthropological Association. She has a versatile background in historical archaeology and innovations in educational technology for improved teaching and learning.