Editors' foreword.

• Position: Editorial

In 1519, the Magellan-Elcano expedition completed the first circumnavigation of the earth in three years. Much of the voyage was through uncharted territories and the navigational exercises were, at best, a guess. In the nineteenth century, the movement of people, both nationally and globally, saw three impressive feats: the completion of the United States' first transcontinental railroad (1869), the opening of the Suez Canal (1869), and the linking of the Indian railways (1870). In 1873, Jules Verne penned Around the World in Eighty Days, capturing the imagination of readers worldwide about the prospects of global movement. Today, a typical commercial airline flight, accounting for fuel stops, can circumnavigate the globe in less than forty-eight hours. The modern possibility of intranational and global movement is limitless, and for the most part, readily available.

Yet, the movement of people is a complex and multi-faceted issue. Migration happens every day, worldwide, in a vast assortment of manners. While migration can be a personal choice, often there are push and pull factors that force people to move, involuntary, and can even be necessary for survival. Conflicts in Central America frequently pushes young children to undertake an immensely dangerous journey through Mexico to reach the United States. A blistering civil war in Syria has forced many residents to leave the country and settle in refugee camps in neighboring Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, as well as Europe. The Rohingya are a stateless population living in Myanmar; historically, the Burmese government has refused to recognize their citizenship, and escaping to neighboring countries is no simple task. Voluntary migration also occurs for a wide variety of reasons, including to seek education, better job prospects, and often, for family reunification.

In the first attempt of its kind, the editorial board proudly presents this issue of the Journal of International Affairs, which engages in the incredibly daunting task of examining the field of migration, writ large. Within, renowned academics, experts, and practitioners on the subject attempt to expose the reader to some of the important sub-classifications of migration, including forced migration, statelessness, child migration, and the flow of human capital. To complement these focuses, other articles analyze global trends in migration, available migration data and measurement tools, and pertinent regional case studies.

To begin...