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Intergenerational Transmission of Language Capital and Economic Outcomes

Author Info

  • Casey, Teresa

    ()

    (London School of Economics)

  • Dustmann, Christian

    ()

    (University College London)

Abstract

This paper investigates the intergenerational transmission of language capital amongst immigrants, and the effect of language deficiencies on the economic performance of second generation immigrants. Using a long panel that oversamples immigrants, we can follow their children after they have left the parental home. Our results show a sizeable significant association between parents’ and children’s fluency, conditional on parental and family characteristics. We find that language deficiencies of the second generation are associated with poorer labour market outcomes for females only. Finally, we find a strong relationship between parental fluency and female labour market outcomes, which works through the child’s language proficiency.

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Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 3074.

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Length: 48 pages
Date of creation: Sep 2007
Date of revision:
Publication status: published in: Journal of Human Resources, 2008, 43 (3), 660 - 687
Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp3074
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Keywords: human capital; language proficiency of immigrants; intergenerational transmission;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
  • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
  • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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Cited by:

  1. Maresa Sprietsma, 2013. "Discrimination in grading: experimental evidence from primary school teachers," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 523-538, August.
  2. Dustmann, Christian & Glitz, Albrecht, 2011. "Migration and Education," Handbook of the Economics of Education, Elsevier.
  3. Sweetman, Arthur & van Ours, Jan C., 2014. "Immigration: What about the Children and Grandchildren?," IZA Discussion Papers 7919, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
  4. Nicolas Hérault & Guyonne Kalb, 2016. "Intergenerational correlation of labor market outcomes," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 231-249, March.
  5. Simone Schüller, 2012. "Parental Ethnic Identity and Educational Attainment of Second-Generation Immigrants," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 443, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
  6. Hugo Nopo & Natalia Winder, 2008. "Etnicidad y acumulación de capital humano en México Urbano," Research Department Publications 4620, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
  7. Natalia Winder & Hugo R. Ñopo, 2008. "Ethnicity and Human Capital Accumulation in Urban Mexico," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 6755, Inter-American Development Bank.
  8. Bönke, Timm & Neidhöfer, Guido, 2014. "Parental background matters: Intergenerational mobility and assimilation of Italian immigrants in Germany," Discussion Papers 2014/21, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
  9. Nielsen, Helena Skyt & Schindler Rangvid, Beatrice, 2011. "The Impact of Parents' Years since Migration on Children's Academic Achievement," IZA Discussion Papers 6242, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
  10. Zhang, Wei & Hong, Seunghye & Takeuchi, David T. & Mossakowski, Krysia N., 2012. "Limited English proficiency and psychological distress among Latinos and Asian Americans," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(6), pages 1006-1014.
  11. Cahit Guven & Asadul Islam, 2013. "Age at Migration, Language Proficiency and Socio-economic Outcomes: Evidence from Australia," Monash Economics Working Papers 18-13, Monash University, Department of Economics.
  12. Deborah Cobb-Clark & Trong-Ha Nguyen, 2010. "Immigration Background and the Intergenerational Correlation in Education," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2010n09, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.

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