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The determinants of international migration: Unbundling the role of economic, political and social institutions

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  • Imran Arif

Abstract

International migrants may relocate because of economic, political and social factors in their origin or destination countries. Using global bilateral migration flows from 103 countries over the period 1990–2000, we explore whether emigrants self‐select based on economic, political and social institutions. Our study adds social dimension as a potential determinant of migration and separates the pull and push effects of political, economic and social institutions. Our results indicate that economic, political and social institutions are significant pull factors of migration; economic freedom has the most substantial pull effect followed by the political institutions; social institutions have the weakest pull effect on migration. Moreover, economic and social institutions are significant push factors of migration, while political institutions do not show any push effect. Furthermore, educated migrants are more sensitive to the destination economic, political and social institutions than less‐educated migrants, and less‐educated migrants are more sensitive to the social institutions at the origin.

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  • Imran Arif, 2020. "The determinants of international migration: Unbundling the role of economic, political and social institutions," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(6), pages 1699-1729, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:43:y:2020:i:6:p:1699-1729
    DOI: 10.1111/twec.12889
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    7. Anupam Nanda & Olayiwola Oladiran, 2022. "Examining regional asymmetries in drivers of international migration flows," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 90(6), pages 648-667, December.
    8. Imran Arif & Adam Hoffer & Dean Stansel & Donald Lacombe, 2020. "Economic freedom and migration: A metro area‐level analysis," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(1), pages 170-190, July.
    9. Mohammad Reza Farzanegan & Hassan F. Gholipour & Mostafa Javadian, 2023. "Air pollution and internal migration: evidence from an Iranian household survey," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 64(1), pages 223-247, January.
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    11. Jelnov, Pavel, 2023. "Towing Norms through the American Dream," IZA Discussion Papers 15847, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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