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Migration: Economically Motivated or a Matter of Networks: A Case Study of Migration from Eastern Europe to Germany487 views
Author
van der Haar, Ella, Foreign Affairs - Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia
Advisors
Pandya, Sonal, Department of Politics, University of Virginia
Leblang, David, Department of Politics, University of Virginia
Abstract
What determines migration? More specifically, what factors influence the decision of migrants to migrate? This paper explores the relative importance of economic migration arguments versus migrant network parameters on a regional level in explaining and predicting migration flows. It employs new data on migration from Eastern European New Member States to Germany and its respective Bundeslander between 2000 and 2012. This paper aims to determine whether traditional neoclassical economic theory can be extended with elements of migrant network theory to create a more complete theory that is more effective in explaining migration flows in the case of predicting migration to different regions within a country. Using fixed effects regression models this paper finds that both economic as well as network variables have a strong and positive impact on migration flows from the Eastern European New Member States.
Degree
MA (Master of Arts)
Keywords
Eastern Europe; Germany; European migration; migration
Language
English
Rights
All rights reserved (no additional license for public reuse)
van der Haar, Ella. Migration: Economically Motivated or a Matter of Networks: A Case Study of Migration from Eastern Europe to Germany. University of Virginia, Foreign Affairs - Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, MA (Master of Arts), 2014-12-02, https://doi.org/10.18130/V30370.
