Most migrants move to further their economic and social position. How successful were they, and which migrants succeeded best? Would they have fared better if they had stayed at home? These questions are often raised regarding recent migrants to the United States and Europe, who often entered the labor market in relatively low positions. During their lifetime, many migrants improve their social position, as do subsequent generations. The migrants to Algeria during French colonial rule, however, entered the labor market at the higher echelons of society. Did they fare better than their parents? If so, did their descendants keep their relatively privileged colonial position? The effects of gaining or losing social, cultural, economic, and human capital appear to be different for various groups of migrants who moved to colonies, tweaking existing theories in economic history, settler history, and the sociology of migration.

A case study of three early modern Dutch cities (Alkmaar, Delft, and Amsterdam) using geographical information systems and confronting earlier historical, sociological, and geographical models finds clear patterns of segregation below the level of the city block, thus necessitating block-face mapping. The remarkable continuity in patterns of residential segregation is best explained by the workings of the real-estate market, allowing the well-to-do and middle classes to realize their preferences. In Amsterdam, the merchant elites were able to use their political dominance to plan a scenic and expansive residential environment free from noisy and odorous activities.