This photo was taken in Jackson, Mississippi during August where I went to visit my family for a weekend. I am originally from New Orleans, Louisiana yet am residing in Washington D.C. for school, hence the shirt, which is why I chose this photo because it illustrates the concept of “internal migration” or a “movement within country boundaries” (Miller 241). There were many push and pull factors for my move from the rural South to the urban North, further described in the “push pull theory” which is “an explanation for rural to urban migration that emphasizes people’s incentives to move because of a lack of opportunity in rural areas (the push) compared with urban areas (the pull)” (Miller 241). Though the book focuses on the “rural to urban” aspect of pull factors, I focus on the explanation of “cities” being the [pull factor] [which] attract people, especially youth, for employment and lifestyle reasons (Miller 241). My move from New Orleans to D.C. is an example of internal migration since I moved within the boundaries of the U.S. Some push factors were that I wanted to study international affairs and politics, but New Orleans lacks adequate resources in those educational areas to which D.C. has numerous. Additionally, the thought of being away in a big city full of powerful people (pull factor) was very enticing. Moreover, I felt that in order for me to blossom as an individual and an adult, I had to move away from my family so I could grow to my full potential (push factor). Miller states that the theory of a “push and pull” factor is related to the approach in anthropology that emphasizes human agency, or choice. My decision to leave home, leave my family, and pursue my dreams was a choice and matter of human agency since my future was ultimately dependant on that one decision. Therefore, I would additionally like to learn about how human agency factors into people’s migrational decisions. Lastly, actual anthropological fieldwork can be done related to this photo in that one can study the monetary and psychological consequences of migrating, since it does have a financial and sometimes mental toll on the individual, as well as how migrant communities benefit the area they reside in, through undertaking harsh jobs, consuming goods, starting businesses etc.
