The theoretical literature on human population dispersal processes at the large time and space scale is reviewed, including references to and discussions of relevant empirical data. The basic Fisher-KPP reaction-diffusion system is summarized for the single population situation, and developments relating to the Allee effect, density-dependent dispersal, time delay, advection, spatial and temporal heterogeneity, and anomalous and stratified diffusion are reviewed. Two- and three-population competitive reaction-diffusion systems of Lotka-Volterra type are also reviewed, as are dynamic approaches to carrying capacity that incorporate predator-prey instabilities, ecosystem engineering, and gene-culture coevolution.