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Migration Responses to Earthquakes: Evidence from Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Roberto Basile

    (University of L’Aquila)

  • Francesca Centofanti

    (University of Rome Tor Vergata)

  • Luisa Giallonardo

    (University of L’Aquila)

  • Francesca Licari

    (National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT))

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the migration responses to natural disasters by focusing on the three most devastating earthquakes in Italy in recent decades: L’Aquila 2009, Emilia Romagna 2012, and Central Italy 2016. Using municipality-level data for 2002–2019 and adopting a new difference-in-difference approach with multiple periods and multiple groups, we evaluate the causal effect of these events on internal and international inbound and outbound migration of both Italian and foreign citizens. The results suggest that, despite the massive destruction, there is no evidence that these earthquakes significantly impacted the migration of Italian citizens. We only found evidence of the effect of the earthquake in L’Aquila on the short-distance migration of foreign citizens.

Suggested Citation

  • Roberto Basile & Francesca Centofanti & Luisa Giallonardo & Francesca Licari, 2024. "Migration Responses to Earthquakes: Evidence from Italy," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 10(1), pages 269-291, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:italej:v:10:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s40797-023-00226-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s40797-023-00226-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Giovanni Baiocchetti & Cecilia Castaldo & Ilan Noy & Federico Zampollo, 2025. "The Adverse Impacts of Disasters In-Name-Only," CESifo Working Paper Series 11681, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Natural disasters; Migration; Counterfactual analysis; Difference-in-difference;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models

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