IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/jdevst/v52y2016i9p1357-1371.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Rural-Urban Migration on Subjective Well-Being in South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Kirsten Mulcahy
  • Umakrishnan Kollamparambil

Abstract

This paper quantifies the short to medium term impact of rural-urban migration on an individual’s subjective well-being in South Africa between 2008 and 2012. We work through different econometric specifications; using instrumental variables to control for endogeneity caused by shock-induced self-selection, and Propensity Score Matching to control for migration self-selection bias. We find that rural-urban migration leads to a decrease in subjective well-being by 8.3 per cent. We suspect that the decreased well-being is a result of false expectations and changing relative groups used to peg aspirations, as well as the emotional cost of being away from family and a home environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Kirsten Mulcahy & Umakrishnan Kollamparambil, 2016. "The Impact of Rural-Urban Migration on Subjective Well-Being in South Africa," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(9), pages 1357-1371, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:52:y:2016:i:9:p:1357-1371
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2016.1171844
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/00220388.2016.1171844
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/00220388.2016.1171844?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alpaslan Akay & Corrado Giulietti & Juan Robalino & Klaus Zimmermann, 2014. "Remittances and well-being among rural-to-urban migrants in China," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 517-546, September.
    2. McKenzie, David & Sasin, Marcin J., 2007. "Migration, remittances, poverty, and human capital : conceptual and empirical challenges," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4272, The World Bank.
    3. Beata Nowok & Maarten van Ham & Allan M Findlay & Vernon Gayle, 2013. "Does Migration Make You Happy? A Longitudinal Study of Internal Migration and Subjective Well-Being," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 45(4), pages 986-1002, April.
    4. Michael Rogan & Likani Lebani & Nompumelelo Nzimande, 2009. "Internal Migration and Poverty in KwaZulu-Natal: Findings from Censuses, Labour Force Surveys and Panel Data," SALDRU Working Papers 30, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    5. Shahidur R. Khandker & Gayatri B. Koolwal & Hussain A. Samad, . "Handbook on Impact Evaluation : Quantitative Methods and Practices," World Bank Publications, The World Bank, number 2693, September.
    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. Dieter von Fintel & Eldridge Moses, 2017. "Migration and gender in South Africa: following bright lights and the fortunes of others?," Working Papers 09/2017, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics, revised 2018.
    2. Greyling, Talita & Fisher, Bianca, 2020. "Women’s optimism, the gender happiness equaliser: a case of South Africa," GLO Discussion Paper Series 472, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Jing Jian Xiao & Piotr Bialowolski, 2023. "Consumer Financial Capability and Quality of Life: a Global Perspective," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 365-391, February.
    4. Hendriks, Martijn & Burger, Martijn J., 2021. "Happiness and Migration," GLO Discussion Paper Series 842, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. De, Prabal K. & Thamarapani, Dhanushka, 2022. "Impacts of negative shocks on wellbeing and aspirations – Evidence from an earthquake," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    6. Michael C. Ewers & Abdoulaye Diop & Kien Trung Le & Lina Bader, 2020. "Migrant Worker Well-Being and Its Determinants: The Case of Qatar," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 152(1), pages 137-163, November.
    7. Rajkumar, Vidya Bharathi, 2021. "Male Migration and the Emergence of Female Farm Management in India," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315329, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Umakrishnan Kollamparambil, 2021. "Socio-Economic Inequality of Wellbeing: A Comparison of Switzerland and South Africa," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 555-574, February.
    9. Rodrigo Cardoso & Evert Meijers & Maarten van Ham & Martijn Burger & Duco de Vos, 2019. "Why bright city lights dazzle and illuminate: A cognitive science approach to urban promises," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 56(2), pages 452-470, February.
    10. Wang, Wenlue & Ren, Qian & Yu, Jin, 2018. "Impact of the ecological resettlement program on participating decision and poverty reduction in southern Shaanxi, China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 1-9.

    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. Crispin H. V. Cooper, 2020. "Quantitative Models of Well-Being to Inform Policy: Problems and Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-13, April.
    2. Samuel Sebsibie & Workineh Asmare & Tessema Endalkachew, 2015. "Agricultural Technology Adoption and Rural Poverty: a Study on Smallholders in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia," Ethiopian Journal of Economics, Ethiopian Economics Association, vol. 23(2), December.
    3. Atsede Desta Tegegne & Marianne Penker, 2016. "Determinants of rural out-migration in Ethiopia: Who stays and who goes?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(34), pages 1011-1044.
    4. Sarkar, Jayati & Selarka, Ekta, 2021. "Women on board and performance of family firms: Evidence from India," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    5. Higgins, Daniel & Arslan, Aslihan & Winters, Paul, 2021. "What role can small-scale irrigation play in promoting inclusive rural transformation? Evidence from smallholder rice farmers in the Philippines," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    6. Meng, Xin & Xue, Sen, 2017. "Social Networks and Mental Health Problems: Evidence from Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China," IZA Discussion Papers 10481, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Mohtar Rasyid, 2017. "Impact of the Free Trade Zone on Cigarette Consumption: An Examination of Indonesian Households," GATR Journals jber144, Global Academy of Training and Research (GATR) Enterprise.
    8. Andaleeb Rahman & Sumit Mishra, 2020. "Does Non-farm Income Affect Food Security? Evidence from India," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(6), pages 1190-1209, June.
    9. Randazzo, Teresa & Piracha, Matloob, 2019. "Remittances and household expenditure behaviour: Evidence from Senegal∗," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 141-153.
    10. Yuanyuan Chen & Zichen Deng, 2019. "Liquidity Constraint Shock, Job Search and Post Match Quality—Evidence from Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 332-355, September.
    11. Hannah Gichungi & Beatrice Muriithi & Patrick Irungu & Gracious Diiro & John Busienei, 2021. "Effect of Technological Innovation on Gender Roles: The Case of Fruit Fly IPM Adoption on Women’s Decision-Making in Mango Production and Marketing in Kenya," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(3), pages 407-426, June.
    12. Ashimwe, Olive, 2016. "An Economic Analysis Of Impact Of Weather Index-Based Crop Insurance On Household Income In Huye District Of Rwanda," Research Theses 265675, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    13. Martin, Will, 2021. "Tools for measuring the full impacts of agricultural interventions," IFPRI-MCC technical papers 2, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    14. d’Albis, Hippolyte & El Mekkaoui, Najat & Legendre, Bérangère, 2023. "Health accidents and wealth decline in old age," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 332(C).
    15. Rob Lloyd & Espen Villanger, 2014. "Assessing aid impacts revisited: results measurement in Norwegian aid," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(4), pages 461-479, December.
    16. Kaiyatsa, Stevier & Jumbe, Charles & Ricker-Gilbert, Jacob, 2017. "Supply-side Crowding-out and Crowding-in Effects of Malawi’s Farm Input Subsidy Program on Private-sector Input Marketing: A Quasi-experimental Field Study," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258135, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Karen Haandrikman, 2019. "Partner choice in Sweden: How distance still matters," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 51(2), pages 440-460, March.
    18. Sheetal Sharma & Edwin van Teijlingen & José M Belizán & Vanora Hundley & Padam Simkhada & Elisa Sicuri, 2016. "Measuring What Works: An Impact Evaluation of Women’s Groups on Maternal Health Uptake in Rural Nepal," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-16, May.
    19. Fresenbet Zeleke & Girma T. Kassie & Jema Haji & Belaineh Legesse, 2021. "Would Market Sheds Improve Market Participation and Earnings of Small Ruminant Keepers? Evidence from Ethiopia," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(2), pages 470-485, June.
    20. Thi Minh Chi Nguyen & Li-Hsien Chien & Shwu-En Chen, 2015. "Impact of certification system on smallhold coffee farms` income distribution in Vietnam," Asian Journal of Agriculture and rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 5(6), pages 137-149, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:taf:jdevst:v:52:y:2016:i:9:p:1357-1371. 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: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/FJDS20 .

    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.