The Social Integration of International Migrants: Evidence from the Networks of Syrians in Germany

Michael Bailey, Drew Johnston, Martin Koenen, Theresa Kuchler, Dominic Russel and Johannes Stroebel

Journal of Political Economy, 2026, vol. 134, issue 4, 1159 - 1209

Abstract: We use Facebook data to study Syrian migrants’ social integration in Germany, establishing five findings: (1) Migrants’ social integration varies across regions, driven by causal, place-based effects. (2) This spatial variation reflects how frequently Germans befriend neighbors and how likely they are to befriend migrants versus other Germans. Using a mover’s design, we show that both factors are shaped more by local institutions and policies than by persistent native characteristics. (3) Integration courses boost intergroup friending rates. (4) Migrants receive help from Germans, such as finding jobs or housing. (5) Germans quasi-randomly exposed to migrants in high school are likelier to befriend migrants later.

Date: 2026
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