From a Land of Emigrants to a Land of Immigrants? The Complex Realities Behind a Common Perception

Abstract

There is a persistent notion that Galicia has changed from land of emigrants to a land of immigrants. Admittedly, during most of the recorded modern history, Galicia has been the origin par excellence of flows of emigrants going abroad and to other parts of Spain. But this portrayal of the recent migratory history is applied even more to Spain, because the country as a whole receives a much higher rate of immigration than Galicia. It is said that Spain has gone from being a country of emigration to a country of immigration, a claim that has also been made regarding a number of other countries such as Portugal, Slovenia, Germany, of Europe in general, and even India. Clearly, these arguments depend on how far back in history the analysis goes and also on what kinds of movements count as emigration and immigration. In any case, the figures are only a part of the story. The definition of a territory as being of “emigration” or “immigration” responds largely to a social construct that is only partially supported by evidence.