Transborder Ethnic Kin and Local Prosperity: Evidence from Night-Time Light Intensity in Africa

Christophe Muller and Pierre Pecher

No 1817, AMSE Working Papers from Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France

Abstract: Ethnicity often occupies a core role in integrated social, economic, and political development processes, which have mostly been studied within specific countries. Across countries, social and economic development may be supported by political capabilities achieved by ethnic kin abroad, although there is little hard evidence on politico-economic interactions through ethnic networks. We fill this gap by providing the first robust empirical evidence of the substantial effects of political predominance of transborder ethnic kin on local economic development in Africa. This is achieved by specifying and estimating dynamic spatial models of geolocalised luminosity and matching these data with other geolocalised information on geographic, political, and ethnic characteristics. Spatial and ethnic network effects are separately identified and jointly analysed. Not only distinct spatial effects and transborder ethnic effects are exhibited, but also are their complex dynamics and spatial distribution features in terms of local development. The results draw attention to the relevance of a broader international perspective on policies affecting ethnic politics within countries.

Keywords: local development; ethnic networks; institutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 O43 R11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 53 pages
Date: 2018-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-gro and nep-ure
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Transborder Ethnic Kin and Local Prosperity: Evidence form Night-Time Light Intensity in Africa (2018)
Working Paper: Transborder Ethnic Kin and Local Prosperity: Evidence from Night-Time Light Intensity in Africa (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aim:wpaimx:1817

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