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Measuring Ethnic Identity and Its Impact on Economic Behavior

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Author Info
Amelie Constant
Klaus F. Zimmermann

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Abstract

The paper advocates for a new measure of the ethnic identity of migrants, models its determinants and explores its explanatory power for various types of their economic performance. The ethnosizer, a measure of the intensity of a person's ethnic identity, is constructed from information on the following elements: language, culture, societal interaction, history of migration, and ethnic self-identification. A two-dimensional concept of the ethnosizer classifies migrants into four states: integration, assimilation, separation and marginalization. The ethnosizer largely depends on pre-migration characteristics. Empirical evidence studying economic behavior like work participation, earnings and housing decisions demonstrates the significant relevance of ethnic identity for economic outcomes.

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File URL: http://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.63394.de/diw_sp0047.pdf
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Paper provided by DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) in its series SOEPpapers with number 47.

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Length: 23 p.
Date of creation: 2007
Date of revision:
Publication status: Published in: Journal of the European Economic Association 6 (2008) 2-3, 424-433
Handle: RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp47

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Keywords: Ethnicity; ethnic identity; acculturation; migrant assimilation; migrant integration; work; cultural economics;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities and Races; Non-labor Discrimination
J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Gianmarco I.P. Ottaviano & Giovanni Peri, 2004. "The Economic Value of Cultural Diversity: Evidence from US Cities," Working Papers 2004.34, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Roland Bénabou & Jean Tirole, 2007. "Identity, Dignity and Taboos: Beliefs as Assets," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 50, Collegio Carlo Alberto. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Alberto Bisin & Eleonora Patacchini & Thierry Verdier & Yves Zenou, 2007. "Are Muslim Immigrants Different in Terms of Cultural Integration?," IZA Discussion Papers 3006, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Klaus Zimmermann, 2007. "The economics of migrant ethnicity," Journal of Population Economics, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 487-494, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Harminder Battu & McDonald Mwale & Yves Zenou, 2007. "Oppositional identities and the labor market," Journal of Population Economics, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 643-667, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  6. Constant, Amelie & Gataullina, Liliya & Zimmermann, Klaus F, 2006. "Ethnosizing Immigrants," CEPR Discussion Papers 5636, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  7. Carmel U. Chiswick, 2006. "The Economic Determinants of Ethnic Assimilation," IZA Discussion Papers 2212, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Amelie Constant & Rowan Roberts & Klaus F. Zimmermann, 2007. "Ethnic Identity and Immigrant Homeownership," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 726, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
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  9. Constant, Amelie & Gataullina, Liliya & Zimmermann, Klaus F, 2006. "Gender, Ethnic Identity and Work," CEPR Discussion Papers 5983, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Oriol Aspachs-Bracons & Irma Clots-Figueras & Joan Costa-Font & Paolo Masella, 2008. "Compulsory Language Educational Policies and Identity Formation," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 6(2-3), pages 434-444, 04-05. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. David Austen-Smith & Roland G. Fryer, 2005. "An Economic Analysis of "Acting White"," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 120(2), pages 551-583, May.
  12. Darity, William Jr. & Mason, Patrick L. & Stewart, James B., 2006. "The economics of identity: The origin and persistence of racial identity norms," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 283-305, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Samuel Bowles & Herbert Gintis & Melissa Osborne, 2001. "Incentive-Enhancing Preferences: Personality, Behavior, and Earnings," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(2), pages 155-158, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  14. Constant, Amelie & Gataullina, Liliya & Zimmermann, Klaus F & Zimmermann, Laura, 2006. "Clash of Cultures: Muslims and Christians in the Ethnosizing Process," CEPR Discussion Papers 5910, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  15. Fearon, James D. & Laitin, David D., 2000. "Violence and the Social Construction of Ethnic Identity," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 54(04), pages 845-877, November. [Downloadable!]
  16. Bisin, Alberto & Patacchini, Eleonora & Verdier, Thierry & Zenou, Yves, 2006. "'Bend It Like Beckham': Identity, Socialization and Assimilation," CEPR Discussion Papers 5662, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  17. Laura Zimmermann & Klaus F. Zimmermann & Amelie Constant, 2006. "Ethnic Self-Identification of First-Generation Immigrants," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 657, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
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  18. Klaus F. Zimmermann, 2007. "Migrant Ethnic Identity: Concept and Policy Implications," IZA Discussion Papers 3056, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  19. Kuran, Timur, 1998. "Ethnic Norms and Their Transformation through Reputational Cascades," Journal of Legal Studies, University of Chicago Press, vol. 27(2), pages 623-59, June.
  20. George A. Akerlof & Rachel E. Kranton, 2000. "Economics And Identity," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 115(3), pages 715-753, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  21. Mason, Patrick L., 2004. "Annual income, hourly wages, and identity Among Mexican Americans and other Latinos," MPRA Paper 11326, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  22. Guiso, Luigi & Sapienza, Paola & Zingales, Luigi, 2006. "Does Culture Affect Economic Outcomes?," CEPR Discussion Papers 5505, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  23. Laura Zimmermann & Liliya Gataullina & Amelie Constant & Klaus F. Zimmermann, 2006. "Human Capital and Ethnic Self-Identification of Migrants," IZA Discussion Papers 2300, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  24. Lena Nekby & Magnus Rödin, 2007. "Acculturation Identity and Labor Market Outcomes," IZA Discussion Papers 2826, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  25. David Austen-Smith & Ronald G. Fryer, 2005. "An Economic Analysis of 'Acting White'," Discussion Papers 1399, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science. [Downloadable!]
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Carmel Chiswick, 2009. "The economic determinants of ethnic assimilation," Journal of Population Economics, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 859-880, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Constant, Amelie F. & Kahanec, Martin & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2008. "Attitudes towards Immigrants, Other Integration Barriers, and Their Veracity," IZA Discussion Papers 3650, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Brian Duncan & Stephen J. Trejo, 2009. "Intermarriage and the Intergenerational Transmission of Ethnic Identity and Human Capital for Mexican Americans," CReAM Discussion Paper Series 0902, Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM), Department of Economics, University College London. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Martin Kahanec & Klaus F. Zimmermann, 2008. "Migration, the Quality of the Labour Force and Economic Inequality," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 781, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Zaiceva, Anzelika & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2008. "Scale, Diversity, and Determinants of Labour Migration in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 3595, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Duncan, Brian & Trejo, Stephen, 2008. "Ancestry versus Ethnicity: The Complexity and Selectivity of Mexican Identification in the United States," IZA Discussion Papers 3552, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Teresa Casey & Christian Dustmann, 2009. "Immigrants’ Identity, Economic Outcomes, and the Transmission of Identity across Generations," CReAM Discussion Paper Series 0923, Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM), Department of Economics, University College London. [Downloadable!]
  8. Constant, Amelie F. & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2009. "Work and Money: Payoffs by Ethnic Identity and Gender," IZA Discussion Papers 4275, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  9. Kahanec, Martin & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2009. "Migration in an enlarged EU: A challenging solution?," CEPR Discussion Papers 7200, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  10. Lena Nekby & Magnus Rödin & Gülay Özcan, 2007. "Acculturation Identity and Educational Attainment," IZA Discussion Papers 3172, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  11. Kahanec, Martin & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2008. "Migration and Globalization: Challenges and Perspectives for the Research Infrastructure," IZA Discussion Papers 3890, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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