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The Push/Pull Theory is primarily concerned with understanding migration through the framework of economic incentives by focusing on the factors that drive people to leave their original location (push factors) and the attractions of a new location (pull factors). Push factors often include economic hardship, lack of job opportunities, or deteriorating living conditions, while pull factors might consist of better employment prospects, higher wages, or improved quality of life.

This theory provides a clear lens through which to analyze why individuals or groups choose to migrate based on their evaluation of potential gains and losses, making it especially relevant for assessing rural to urban migration or migration from developing to developed countries. Understanding both the push and pull factors helps in grasping the complexities of migration patterns and the decision-making processes involved.

On the other hand, Human Capital Theory focuses on the investments individuals make in their education and skills that enable them to achieve better economic outcomes, which is broader than just migration. Structural Theory examines larger social and economic frameworks that influence migration patterns but does not focus solely on individual economic incentives. World Systems Theory looks at global inequalities and how they affect migration, but it tends to emphasize systemic factors over individual economic motivations.