A Theory of Migration as a Response to Occupational Stigma

Oded Stark and C. Simon Fan
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C. Simon Fan: Department of Economics, Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong

No 247, Economics Series from Institute for Advanced Studies

Abstract: A theory is developed of labor migration that is prompted by a desire to avoid "social humiliation." In a general equilibrium framework it is shown that as long as migration can reduce humiliation sufficiently, migration will occur even between two identical economies. Migration increases the number of individuals who choose to perform degrading jobs and consequently, migration lowers the price of the good produced in the sector that is associated with low social status. Moreover, the greater an individual’s aversion to performing degrading jobs, the more likely it is that he will experience a welfare gain when the economy opens up.

Keywords: Migration; social distance; occupational status; social exposure gains; general equilibrium (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 J61 R23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 54 pages
Date: 2010-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mig
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https://irihs.ihs.ac.at/id/eprint/1967 First version, 2010 (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: A THEORY OF MIGRATION AS A RESPONSE TO OCCUPATIONAL STIGMA (2011)
Working Paper: A Theory of Migration as a Response to Occupational Stigma (2010)
Working Paper: A Theory of Migration as a Response to Occupational Stigma (2009)
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