Mobility and Employment in Urban Southeast Asia: Examples from Indonesia and the Philippines

Although the literature on rapid urbanization in the Third World is considerable, the role of intermediate-sized cities in this process is not well documented. In this comparative study, the contributors examine urbanization and development in five intermediate-sized cities in Indonesia and the Philippines. Their focus on population movements (both permanent and temporary) and patterns of employment illuminates how the complex relationships between the two phenomena influence the growth of cities. Some of the specific variables analyzed include characteristics, problems, and perceptions of migrants, nonmigrants, and circulators; the role of the formal and informal sectors; labor creation; and the alleviation of poverty.