The term "'brain
drain" was first popularized in the 1950s with reference to the
immigration to the United States of first-rank scientists from countries such
as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the former Soviet Union; it is now
used in a more general sense to designate the international transfer of human
capital (people with higher education) from developing to developed countries.
During the 1970s, there was a great deal of passion around this issue;
everybody took for granted that the emigration of highly skilled people was
detrimental to the country of origin.
How big
is the brain drain?
In 1975,
the United Nations estimated the total number of highly skilled South-North
migrants for 1961-72 at only 300,000. Less than a generation later, in 1990,
the U.S. Census revealed that there were more than 2.5 million highly educated
immigrants from developing countries residing in the United States alone,
excluding students! For that same year, the International Labor
Organization (ILO) estimated the total cumulative loss of "brains" by
region at 15% for Central America, 6% for Africa, 3% for South America, and 5%
for
What
feedback effects?
Obviously,
the brain drain may induce positive feedback effects such as remittances and
return migration after additional skills have been acquired abroad.
Hillel
Rapoport .
‘Who is afraid of the brain drain? Human capital flight
growth in developing countries’. Policy Brief.
Stanford Institute for
Economic Policy Research. Department of
Economics,
1. One of the statements
below did not appear in the text. Read the statements carefully and cross out (x) the idea not mentioned.
r
r People move to
r The term "'brain
drain" was first popularized in the 1950s.
r The emigration of highly skilled people was detrimental to the country
of origin.
r Country studies commissioned by the ILO also showed that nearly 40% of
Philippine emigrants are college educated
2. Complete the
following sentences with figures and statistics from the text.
a. The United Nations
estimated the total number of highly skilled South-North migrants for ____________at
only ____________.
b. In____________, the U.S.
Census revealed that there were more than ____________million highly educated
immigrants from developing countries residing in the
c. Country studies commissioned by the ILO also showed
that nearly ____________of Philippine emigrants are college educated.
3.
Decide if these statements are true or false, then, justify
your answer.
a. The
term Brain Drain is used to designate the international transfer of human
capital (people with higher education) from developed to developing countries.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
b. ILO stands for “International
Language Organization”.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
c.
Brain drain has no positive feedback effects.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Match the following words with
their definitions.
Word |
|
Definition |
|
a)
Information
or statements of opinion about something. |
|
b)
Detrimental |
c)
When
something or someone moves or is moved from one place, position, etc. to
another. |
|
d)
Feedback |
e)
A count
for official purposes, especially one to count the number of people living in
a country and to collect information about them. |
|
f)
Census |
g)
Causing harm or damage. |
|
h)
Induce |
i)
A
disadvantage caused by someone leaving an organization. |
|
j)
Loss |
k)
To cause
something to happen. |
6. What does the underlined word in
the text refer to?
a. It ( paragraph 1) :…………………….……………