IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/jns/jbstat/v229y2009i6p803-821.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Political Economy of Refugee Migration

Author

Listed:
  • Czaika Mathias

    (Department for International Economic Policy, University of Freiburg, Platz der Alten Synagoge 1, 79085 Freiburg, Germany)

Abstract

This article examines the driving forces of the magnitude, composition and duration of refugee movements caused by conflict and persecution. The decision to seek temporary or permanent refuge in the region of origin or in a more distant asylum destination is based on inter-temporal optimization. We find that asylum seeking in Western countries is rather a phenomenon of comparatively less persecuted people. In an attempt to reduce their respective asylum burdens, Western countries and host countries in the region of origin are likely to end up in a race to the bottom of restrictive asylum policies. Alternatively, this study shows that, under certain circumstances, proactive refugee-related aid transfers are an effective instrument to relieve Western countries from asylum pressure.

Suggested Citation

  • Czaika Mathias, 2009. "The Political Economy of Refugee Migration," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(6), pages 803-821, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:229:y:2009:i:6:p:803-821
    DOI: 10.1515/jbnst-2009-0609
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/jbnst-2009-0609
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1515/jbnst-2009-0609?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Todaro, Michael P, 1969. "A Model for Labor Migration and Urban Unemployment in Less Developed Countries," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 59(1), pages 138-148, March.
    2. Raffelhuschen, Bernd, 1992. "Labor migration in Europe : Experiences from Germany after unification," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 1453-1471, October.
    3. Eric Neumayer, 2004. "Asylum Destination Choice," European Union Politics, , vol. 5(2), pages 155-180, June.
    4. Dustmann, Christian, 2003. "Return migration, wage differentials, and the optimal migration duration," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 353-369, April.
    5. Hatton, Timothy J., 2005. "European Asylum Policy," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 194, pages 106-119, October.
    6. Eric Neumayer, 2005. "Asylum Recognition Rates in Western Europe," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 49(1), pages 43-66, February.
    7. Djajic, Slobodan & Milbourne, Ross, 1988. "A general equilibrium model of guest-worker migration : The source-country perspective," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(3-4), pages 335-351, November.
    8. Timothy J. Hatton, 2004. "Seeking asylum in Europe [‘Violence against citizens in civil wars: looting or terror?’]," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 19(38), pages 6-62.
    9. Harris, John R & Todaro, Michael P, 1970. "Migration, Unemployment & Development: A Two-Sector Analysis," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 60(1), pages 126-142, March.
    10. Oded Stark, 1991. "The Migration of Labor," Blackwell Books, Wiley Blackwell, number 1557860300, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Anne-Marie Jeannet & Tobias Heidland & Martin Ruhs, 2021. "What asylum and refugee policies do Europeans want? Evidence from a cross-national conjoint experiment," European Union Politics, , vol. 22(3), pages 353-376, September.
    2. Ugo Igariwey Iduma & Musa Yahi Musa, 2019. "Nigerian Refugees in Cameroon: Understanding the Politics of Voluntary Refugee Repatriation," Journal of Public Administration and Governance, Macrothink Institute, vol. 9(1), pages 290-310, March.
    3. Bocquého, Géraldine & Deschamps, Marc & Helstroffer, Jenny & Jacob, Julien & Joxhe, Majlinda, 2023. "Modelling refugee migration under cognitive biases: Experimental evidence and policy," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    4. Géraldine Bocquého & Marc Deschamps & Jenny Helstroffer & Majlinda Joxhe, 2018. "Risk and Refugee Migration," DEM Discussion Paper Series 18-08, Department of Economics at the University of Luxembourg.
    5. Djajić, Slobodan, 2014. "Asylum seeking and irregular migration," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 83-95.
    6. Jon Echevarria & Javier Gardeazabal, 2016. "Refugee gravitation," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 269-292, December.
    7. Dimiter Doychinov Toshkov, 2014. "The dynamic relationship between asylum applications and recognition rates in Europe (1987–2010)," European Union Politics, , vol. 15(2), pages 192-214, June.
    8. Martina Burmann & Marcus Drometer & Romuald Méango, 2017. "The Political Economy of European Asylum Policies," ifo Working Paper Series 245, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    9. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/6mekga2ph18vda5qbuop2ckgkn is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Seraina Rüegger & Heidrun Bohnet, 2018. "The Ethnicity of Refugees (ER): A new dataset for understanding flight patterns1," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 35(1), pages 65-88, January.
    11. Jon Echevarria-Coco & Javier Gardeazabal, 2021. "A Spatial Model of Internal Displacement and Forced Migration," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 65(2-3), pages 591-618, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sílvio Rendon & Alfredo Cuecuecha, 2010. "International job search: Mexicans in and out of the US," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 53-82, March.
    2. Akasaka, Shintaro, 2016. "Macro determinants of Migration: Review and Analysis," MPRA Paper 106509, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2016.
    3. Zakiyyah, Varachia, 2018. "Review and Analysis of Macro Determinants of Migration," MPRA Paper 106445, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2018.
    4. Elena Vitalievna, Lebedeva, 2007. "Determinants of International Migration and Remittances," MPRA Paper 104789, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2007.
    5. Les Christidis, Les Christidis, 2005. "Theorizing and Conceptualizing of Migration," MPRA Paper 105238, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2005.
    6. Chrząstowska, Bożena, 2006. "Determinants of International Migration: A Study of Dual Countries Perspectives," MPRA Paper 104689, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2006.
    7. Katarzyna Budnik, 2011. "Temporary migration in theories of international mobility of labour," Bank i Kredyt, Narodowy Bank Polski, vol. 42(6), pages 7-48.
    8. Yilmaz, Binhan Elif, 2004. "The Determinants of Migration: A Study of Sending and Destination Perspective," MPRA Paper 104552, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Barbarito, Antonella, 2005. "The Determinants of Migration: A Theorizing and Conceptualizing of Policy Issues in Perspective of Sending and Destination Effects," MPRA Paper 104469, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2005.
    10. Michael, Owiso, 2005. "Conceptualizing Determinants of Migration," MPRA Paper 104986, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2005.
    11. Behnaz, Flippo, 2008. "Conceptualizing Determinants of International Migration and Remittances," MPRA Paper 104915, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2008.
    12. Mohamed Amara & Hatem Jemmali, 2018. "Deciphering the Relationship Between Internal Migration and Regional Disparities in Tunisia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 135(1), pages 313-331, January.
    13. Fidrmuc, Jan, 2001. "Migration and adjustment to shocks in transition economies," ZEI Working Papers B 23-2001, University of Bonn, ZEI - Center for European Integration Studies.
    14. Sergio Vergalli, 2011. "Entry and Exit Strategies in Migration Dynamics," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 362-389, December.
    15. Dustmann, Christian, 2003. "Return migration, wage differentials, and the optimal migration duration," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 353-369, April.
    16. Danilo Bertoni & Daniele Cavicchioli & Franco Donzelli & Giovanni Ferrazzi & Dario G. Frisio & Roberto Pretolani & Elena Claire Ricci & Vera Ventura, 2018. "Recent Contributions of Agricultural Economics Research in the Field of Sustainable Development," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-20, December.
    17. Christian Dustmann & Joseph-Simon Görlach, 2016. "The Economics of Temporary Migrations," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 54(1), pages 98-136, March.
    18. Timothy J. Hatton, 2009. "The Rise and Fall of Asylum: What Happened and Why?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(535), pages 183-213, February.
    19. Maëlys de La Rupelle & Deng Quheng & Li Shi & Thomas Vendryes, 2009. "Land rights insecurity and temporary migration in rural China," Working Papers halshs-00575041, HAL.
    20. Rafael de Arce & Ramon Mahia, 2012. "Have Migrants Bought a "Round Trip Ticket"? Determinants in Probability of Immigrants' Return in Spain," Global Economy Journal (GEJ), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 12(2), pages 1-22, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:229:y:2009:i:6:p:803-821. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.degruyter.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.