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International Migration: Driver of Political and Social Change?

Author

Listed:
  • Tuccio, Michele

    (University of Southampton)

  • Wahba, Jackline

    (University of Southampton)

  • Hamdouch, Bachir

    (University Mohammed V - Agdal Rabat)

Abstract

This paper focuses on the impact of international migration on the transfer of political and social norms. Exploiting recent and unique data on Morocco, it explores whether households with return and current migrants bear different political preferences and behaviours than non-migrant families. Once controlling for the double selection into emigration and return migration, findings suggest that having a returnee in the household increases the demand for political and social change, driven by returnees mostly from Western European countries, who have been exposed to more democratic norms at destination. However, we find a negative impact of having a current migrant on the willingness to change of the left-behind household, driven by migrants to non-West countries, where the quality of political and social institutions are lower. Our results are robust to also controlling for destination selectivity. Finally, findings suggest that migration not only affect political attitudes but also actual behaviour: regions with higher returnee shares have had greater participation rates in the 2011 political elections.

Suggested Citation

  • Tuccio, Michele & Wahba, Jackline & Hamdouch, Bachir, 2016. "International Migration: Driver of Political and Social Change?," IZA Discussion Papers 9794, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9794
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Frédéric Docquier & Aysit Tansel & Riccardo Turati, 2017. "Do Emigrants Self-Select Along Cultural Traits? Evidence from the MENA Countries," CESifo Working Paper Series 6777, CESifo.
    2. Shi, Wei & Wei, Jingran, 2023. "In the crossfire: Multinational companies and consumer boycotts," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    3. Idrissa Diabate & Sandrine Mesplé-Somps, 2019. "Female genital mutilation and migration in Mali: do return migrants transfer social norms?," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 32(4), pages 1125-1170, October.
    4. Laurent Bossavie & Çağlar Özden, 2023. "Impacts of Temporary Migration on Development in Origin Countries," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 38(2), pages 249-294.
    5. Constant, Amelie F., 2020. "Time-Space Dynamics of Return and Circular Migration: Theories and Evidence," GLO Discussion Paper Series 446, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    6. Rapoport & Hillel & Sulin Sardoschau & Arthur Silve & Hillel Rapoport, 2020. "Migration and Cultural Change," CESifo Working Paper Series 8547, CESifo.
    7. Tuccio, Michele & Wahba, Jackline, 2018. "Return migration and the transfer of gender norms: Evidence from the Middle East," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 1006-1029.
    8. Ngoc Thi Minh Tran & Michael P. Cameron & Jacques Poot, 2021. "How Robust Is the Evidence on the Impact of Diasporas on Institutional Quality in Home Countries?," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(1), pages 126-152, February.
    9. Batista, Catia & Seither, Julia & Vicente, Pedro C., 2019. "Do migrant social networks shape political attitudes and behavior at home?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 328-343.
    10. Konte, Maty & Ndubuisi, Gideon, 2022. "Remittance dependence, support for taxation and quality of public services in Africa," MERIT Working Papers 2022-019, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    11. Khandker Wahedur Rahman, 2023. "International migration and the religious schooling of children in the home country: evidence from Bangladesh," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 36(3), pages 1963-2005, July.
    12. Jan Brzozowski & Nicola Daniele Coniglio, 2022. "The Effect of International Migration on Tax Morale in the Home Country: Evidence from Poland," EGEIWP 03-2022, Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza - Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", revised Jan 2023.
    13. Catia Batista & Julia Seither & Pedro C. Vicente, 2017. "Migration, political institutions, and social networks," NOVAFRICA Working Paper Series wp1701, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Nova School of Business and Economics, NOVAFRICA.
    14. Joseph,George & Wang,Qiao & Chellaraj,Gnanaraj & Tas,Emcet Oktay & Andres,Luis Alberto & Javaid,Syed Usman & Rajan,Irudaya, 2022. "Beyond Money : Does Migration Experience Transfer Gender Norms ? Empirical Evidence from Kerala, India," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9966, The World Bank.
    15. Mounir Karadja & Erik Prawitz, 2019. "Exit, Voice, and Political Change: Evidence from Swedish Mass Migration to the United States," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 127(4), pages 1864-1925.
    16. Minh Tran, Ngoc Thi & Cameron, Michael P. & Poot, Jacques, 2017. "International Migration and Institutional Quality in the Home Country: It Matters Where You Go and How Long You Stay!," IZA Discussion Papers 10945, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    17. Billy Agwanda, 2022. "Securitization and Forced Migration in Kenya: A Policy Transition from Integration to Encampment," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 48(3), pages 723-743, September.
    18. Docquier, Frédéric & Tansel, Aysit & Turati, Riccardo, 2017. "Do emigrants self-select along cultural traits? Evidence from the MENA countries," MPRA Paper 82778, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Erminia Florio, 2019. "Are We in The Same Boat? The Legacy of Historical Emigration on Attitudes towards Immigrants," CEIS Research Paper 478, Tor Vergata University, CEIS, revised 12 Nov 2021.
    20. Jackline Wahba & Ishac Diwan & Michele Tuccio, 2017. "Diaspora Networks as a Bridge between Civilizations," Working Papers 1094, Economic Research Forum, revised 05 Nov 2017.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    international migration; political change; transfer of norms; Morocco;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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