Book excerpt: ÔThis book examines migration in a rapidly globalizing economy where it disrupts such relatively stable patterns as the trip to work, home, school and shopping on the one hand, and is itself transformed by continuously evolving information and telecommunications technology, declining relative transport cost and immigration policy dynamics. The perspective is global yet provides the reader with empirically based work representing Europe, North America and Asia, and international comparative studies of changing migration patternsÕ impact on trade and culture.Õ Ð Roger R. Stough, George Mason University, US During the last few decades the world has experienced an unprecedented level of cross-border migration. While this has generated significant socio-economic gains for host countries, as well as sometimes for the countries of origin, the costs and benefits involved are unevenly distributed. Consequently, growing global population mobility is a hotly debated topic, both in the political arena and by the general public. Amidst a plethora of facts, opinions and emotions, the assessment of migration impacts must be grounded in a solid scientific evidence base. This analytical book outlines and applies a range of the scientific methods that are currently available in migration impact assessment (MIA). The book provides various North American and European case studies that quantify socio-economic consequences of migration for host societies and for immigrants themselves. With up-to-date and broad coverage, this detailed study will appeal to academic researchers in the social sciences, policy analysts at national and international level, as well as graduate students in economics and regional science.