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on Economics of Human Migration |
| By: | Skerdilajda Zanaj (DEM, Université du Luxembourg); Anastasia Litina (University of Macedonia); Emma Thill (DEM, Université du Luxembourg) |
| Abstract: | "Culture shapes economic and social life, yet some traits erode quickly, while others persist across generations. Migrant experiences towards Europe or the United States illustrate this puzzle. In addition, some traits, such as fertility norms, tend to converge relatively quickly, whereas others, such as religiosity, exhibit substantially greater persistence. We develop a dynamic model of cultural transmission that endogenizes both cross-cultural group interaction and parental influence on cultural openness defined as a parentally transmitted willingness to adopt a new cultural trait when beneficial. Parents first shape cultural transmission by choosing their children’s openness to alternative traits. As young adults, individuals then decide how much to interact with other groups and, conditional on interaction, whether to switch traits. This endogenizes peer exposure and makes cultural change a deliberate choice. Within a generation, a higher group-level propensity to switch reduces group size, while tighter norms can expand or shrink a group depending on the relative utility of its trait. Across generations, parental investments in openness generate three long-run equilibria: convergence to a single trait, coexistence with interaction, or segregation without interaction. By jointly modeling parental transmission and peer-driven switching, we show that cultural persistence or change reflects purposeful micro-level decisions." |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:luc:wpaper:25-20 |
| By: | Angela Ampuero Arriagada (StartHope@Home, Project by Social Impact gGmbH, 14467 Potsdam, Germany); K. Kathy Meyer-Ross (University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Germany) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the reintegration of returnees in Pakistan based on field research carried out in December 2024, in partnership with two local organizations. The paper looks at the socio-economic and psychological aspects of reintegration, evaluates the current reintegration programs and lists areas to develop a better cooperation with international partners such as StartHope@home. According to the interviews, returnees often face three main challenges: economic sustainability, social stigma, and mental health problems. The Pakistani labor market absorbs 1.5 million new entrants annually (World Bank, 2013; Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2022); therefore, most returnees find economic support through self-employment in sectors such as agriculture, dairy farming, and small trading. On the social front, returnees are subjected to societal scrutiny, emotional loneliness, and feelings of failure. One of these organizations focuses on business development and family involvement, while the other one provides psychosocial counseling and raises awareness through storytelling. Both organizations emphasize the importance of holistic approaches in reintegration, including long-term accompaniment, mental health, and community integration. It is estimated that 25 percent of the returnees re-migrate, with 7 percent returning to Europe. The study concludes with recommendations for skills training, family-oriented business models, and psychosocial support. Strengthening cooperation with local agents and improving data on reintegration outcomes are key to achieving sustainable returns. These findings also present an opportunity to policymakers and practitioners who intend to investigate how to strengthen reintegration measures in Pakistan and beyond. |
| Keywords: | return migration, reintegration, social stigma, informal economy, psychosocial support |
| Date: | 2025–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:smo:raiswp:0560 |
| By: | Mühlrad, Hanna (Karolinska Institute); Sibbmark, Kristina (IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy); Sjögren, Anna (IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy); Tallås Ahlzén, Malin (IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy) |
| Abstract: | We evaluate a two year school development program aimed at enhancing the quality of education for recent migrant students and Swedish language learners through customized packages of professional development for teachers and support of school man-agement. We exploit the pairwise randomized roll out to 63 municipalities between 2016 and 2019 to examine effects on student achievement and explore underlying mechanisms. Over a 7 year follow-up period, core subject test scores improved by 0.021 sd, driven by a 0.032 sd improvement in mathematics performance. Test score gains in mathematics were present for students, regardless their background, during and post-implementation. Swedish test score gains generally materialized post-implementation, while second gen-eration immigrant students gained already during implementation. Test score gains are more pronounced for foreign background students, for boys and at the low end of the test score distribution. The support program passes a cost-benefit test. |
| Keywords: | refugee migration; dialogue based school improvement; host country effects; RCT |
| JEL: | F22 H52 I21 I22 I24 I28 J45 |
| Date: | 2026–01–27 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:ifauwp:2026_001 |
| By: | Marco A. Badilla Maroto; Benjamin Faber; Antoine B. Levy; Mathilde Muñoz |
| Abstract: | We document that migration flows upon retirement are predominantly from richer, more urban to poorer, more rural regions. In theory, the local economic implications of senior in-migration are ambiguous, while empirically there is little existing evidence on whether attracting mobile seniors can be an effective tool to promote economic development among lagging regions. We combine a unique collection of microdata from France with a new empirical strategy to fill this gap. We find that senior inflows have significant positive effects on the local economy over the course of a decade, including increases in the working-age population, total employment, GDP, average incomes, fiscal revenues and housing construction. These effects are particularly pronounced among initially poorer regions. They are accompanied by an increase in the share of services in the local economy, driven by employment growth in health, food services and retail sectors. Combining these estimates with observed region-to-region net migration flows, we find that mobile seniors have become a significant force for reducing the concentration of employment and GDP across regions. |
| JEL: | F15 J60 R23 |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34725 |
| By: | Bavaro, Michele; Trinh, Nhat An (WZB Berlin Social Science Center) |
| Abstract: | The relationship between international migration and social mobility has been a central topic in recent research, with scholars highlighting the influence of socioeconomic resources, aspirational attitudes, and structural barriers on the social mobility experience of migrants. This study extends existing work and examines the intergenerational social mobility of first- and second-generation immigrants in 22 European countries. Using fully harmonized and nationally representative data (EU-SILC, 2019), we provide a comparative analysis of absolute mobility in terms of social class and economic hardship. Our results show that mobility patterns differ across dimensions and generations: First-generation migrants generally experience more downward mobility than upward mobility, whereas for the second generation upward mobility is more prevalent in some countries. The first generation is also more likely to experience downward class mobility compared to natives, while chances of upward hardship mobility are higher on average despite cross-country variation. Migrant-native gaps in class and hardship mobility are smaller for the second generation. Differences in own and parental education between natives and migrants cannot fully account for observed gaps, suggesting the relevance of other factors in driving persistent inequalities in opportunities for social mobility. |
| Keywords: | Social mobility, migration, cross-country comparison, first and second generation, Europe |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:amz:wpaper:2026-02 |
| By: | Anda David (Agence Française de Développement Author-Name: Jackline Wahba; University of Southampton); Rawane Yasser (Agence Française de Développement) |
| Abstract: | Egypt has experienced a major economic crisis since March 2022, which has had substantial impacts on food inflation and standards of living. This crisis was compounded by the COVID19 pandemic, its global implications, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For many Egyptians, international temporary migration and remittances have been coping mechanisms, allowing them to diversify their income. This paper investigates the role played by international migration as a livelihood strategy during the recent economic crisis. It highlights the trends and patterns of current overseas migration, return migration, remittances and migration intentions for the period covering the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis. The findings show that while the international emigration rate has increased, the return migration rate has substantially declined. In addition, the profile of migrants has changed as the share of low educated migrants increased, as well as the share of those holding precarious jobs prior to migrating. There results suggest that recent economic conditions in Egypt may be reshaping the patterns of Egyptian migration. |
| Date: | 2024–11–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1753 |
| By: | Bojan Shimbov (University Jaume I, Castellon); Oliver Morrissey (University of Nottingham); Maite Alguacil (University Jaume I, Castellon) |
| Abstract: | Purpose Remittances are a significant source of household income and foreign exchange inflows for the Republic of North Macedonia (MKD) due to the relatively large share of workers who have emigrated, mostly to the EU. This paper analyses data from a survey of almost 2000 households that receive remittances to investigate how households use the income. Although remittances are mostly used for consumption spending, a specific focus of the analysis is on the almost 20% of households that invest or save the money. What are the characteristics of these households, and the determinants of the amount and share invested or saved? The paper then estimates the macroeconomic impact of remittances in terms of the effect on consumption, investment, and saving. Design/methodology/approach This paper makes use of a survey of almost 2000 households receiving remittances in North Macedonia (MKD) in 2021 to empirically investigate how the income is used and if this is related to characteristics of the migrants and households. Unfortunately, the survey was only for receiving households (it is not possible to compare with non-receiving households), data on household characteristics are limited, and it is only a cross-section (although some retrospective questions were included). The decision of how to use remittances received is analyzed by a set of discrete choice models. On the one hand, we have considered the characteristics of the households receiving the remittances (family income, employment, age, gender, ethnicity, settlement type, place of residence), and on the other hand, we have considered factors like: i) remittance timing, ii) trends, and iii) migrant’s home country attachment. For robustness checks, we have used PPLM regressions like I/S/C (%)*total RR and the Zero-inflated Model. Findings North Macedonia is facing a growing trend of migration, which, if not addressed, can potentially cause significant socio-economic disruptions in the country going forward. The stock of migrant population to total population ratio stood at 37 percent in 2020, which is the third highest in the region after Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and well above the average for developing countries. Most of the migrants go to the EU (mostly Germany and Italy) or Switzerland, as well as to Turkey. Finally, migrants from North Macedonia tend to be young people in their most productive years, which may pose serious challenges to development going forward. Figure 1: Stock of migrants from North Macedonia and migration rate |
| Keywords: | Migration, Remittances, Economic growth |
| JEL: | F22 F24 F43 E21 |
| Date: | 2025–12–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aoh:conpro:2025:i:6:p:293-298 |
| By: | Anastasia Litina (Department of Economics, University of Macedonia, Visiting Researcher at the University of Luxembourg); Ioannis Patios (Department of Economics, University of Macedonia) |
| Abstract: | Climate change has intensified the frequency and severity of natural disasters, making it increasingly important to understand their broader consequences on social and political outcomes. This paper examines the interplay between natural disasters, measured by the number of total affected individuals, and their attitudes toward immigrants, exploring whether such a shock can lead to increased solidarity or heightened resentment toward immigrants. We use a setting in which we compare Eurozone regions with non-Eurozone regions, thus exploiting the differential degree of integration across countries and the role of joint immigration policies. Linking data from the International Disaster Database (EM-DAT) and the European Social Survey (ESS), we associate disaster-affected individuals with their perceptions on various immigration issues and dimensions. We employ a difference-in-differences approach with staggered treatment adoption, where the first difference compares Eurozone and non-Eurozone countries, and the second difference accounts for the timing of being affected by a disaster. Our main findings indicate that natural disaster shocks in Eurozone countries are associated with more positive attitudes toward immigrants, particularly regarding their acceptance and perceived economic contribution. These effects emerge gradually after the shock, suggesting that disasters may foster longer-term social reflection rather than immediate solidarity responses. A plausible explanation is that Eurozone countries, being more economically and institutionally integrated, experience such shocks within a framework of shared responsibility and interdependence. In the presence of a common currency and coordinated fiscal mechanisms, these countries may also be better shielded from the economic fallout of disasters, reducing the sense of economic insecurity that can fuel exclusionary attitudes. By contrast, non-Eurozone regions facing more severe and unbuffered economic consequences may respond in more inward-looking ways, emphasizing national over collective concerns. Heterogeneity tests further highlight the critical role of factors in propagating the effect, such as remittances paid, trade in services, unemployment, wage and salaried workers, and EU funding measures. |
| Keywords: | Migration; NaturalDisasters; ClimateChange; ImmigrationAttitudes. |
| JEL: | F22 Q54 R23 |
| Date: | 2026–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mcd:mcddps:2026_02 |
| By: | Vasiliki Fouka; Theo Serlin |
| Abstract: | When do people identify with their class? Evidence from social psychology shows that individuals are more likely to identify with a group if they are similar to its members. We study early 20th century Britain and show that regional cultural heterogeneity combined with internal migration influenced class identity. We develop and validate a measure of class identity using naming decisions. Exploiting within-household variation, we show that migration patterns that increased the local share of culturally-distant workers reduced working class identification. Where migration increased the cultural distance of the working class, workers were less likely to join unions, voters were less likely to support the nascent Labour Party, and parliamentary candidates were less likely to target working class voters. By 1911, slower in-migration and rising local population growth reduced working class distance in urban areas, which also became strongholds of support for Labour. Migration alters social identity and creates political cleavages. |
| JEL: | D72 J61 N33 Z10 |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34721 |
| By: | Aysegul KayaogluAuthor-Name-First: Aysegul Author-Name-Last: KayaogluAuthor-Email: kayaoglu@uni-bremen.de (University of Bremen) |
| Abstract: | There is a scarcity of evidence on how refugee exposure affects local attitudes in developing countries, despite a high concentration of refugees in these areas. Using a quasi-experimental setting and administrative data on the spatial distribution of refugees in a developing country that hosts the world’s largest refugee population, I examine the causal impact of refugee exposure on local attitudes and migration policy preferences. To identify this effect, I use the instrumental variables approach. Empirical findings show that refugee exposure significantly impacts perceptions of economic burden, insecurity, social distance, and migration governance. Negative attitudes predominantly arise from relative deprivation of the hosting population, leading to biased perceptions of cultural alienation. Moreover, competition in the labor market and access to public services emerge as primary factors shaping negative attitudes. Religiosity minimally affects attitudes but plays a role in shaping beliefs. Additionally, in line with the integration paradox hypothesis, increased interaction with refugees triggers cultural conflicts, portraying refugees as a perceived threat to the majority's culture. |
| Date: | 2024–12–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1762 |