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Sampling international migrants with origin-based snowballing method: New evidence on biases and limitations

Author

Listed:
  • Cris Beauchemin

    (Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED))

  • Amparo González-Ferrer

    (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC))

Abstract

This paper provides a methodological assessment of the advantages and drawbacks of the origin-based snowballing technique as a reliable method to construct representative samples of international migrants in destination areas. Using data from the MAFE-Senegal Project, our results indicate that this is a very risky method in terms of quantitative success. Besides, it implies some clear selection biases: it over-represents migrants more strongly connected to their home country, and it tends to overestimate both poverty in households at origin and the influence of previous migration experiences of social networks on individuals’ out-migration.

Suggested Citation

  • Cris Beauchemin & Amparo González-Ferrer, 2011. "Sampling international migrants with origin-based snowballing method: New evidence on biases and limitations," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 25(3), pages 103-134.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:25:y:2011:i:3
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2011.25.3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David J. McKenzie & Johan Mistiaen, 2009. "Surveying migrant households: a comparison of census‐based, snowball and intercept point surveys," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 172(2), pages 339-360, April.
    2. Stillman, Steven & McKenzie, David & Gibson, John, 2009. "Migration and mental health: Evidence from a natural experiment," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 677-687, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Calogero Carletto & Jennica Larrison & Çaglar Özden, 2014. "Informing migration policies: a data primer," Chapters, in: Robert E.B. Lucas (ed.), International Handbook on Migration and Economic Development, chapter 2, pages 9-41, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. McKenzie, David & Gibson, John & Stillman, Steven, 2013. "A land of milk and honey with streets paved with gold: Do emigrants have over-optimistic expectations about incomes abroad?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 116-127.
    3. Tang, Jintong & Levasseur, Ludvig & Karami, Masoud & Busenitz, Lowell, 2021. "Being alert to new opportunities: It is a matter of time," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 15(C).
    4. Elisabeth K. Kraus & Amparo González-Ferrer, 2023. "Fertility Differences Between Migrants and Stayers in a Polygamous Context: Evidence from Senegal," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 137-164, March.
    5. Ognjen Obućina, 2013. "Occupational trajectories and occupational cost among Senegalese immigrants in Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 28(19), pages 547-580.
    6. Reichl Luthra, Renee & Platt, Lucinda & Frere-Smith, Tom, 2014. "Sampling recently arrived immigrants in the UK: exploring the effectiveness of Respondent Driven Sampling," ISER Working Paper Series 2014-25, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    7. Mao-Mei Liu & Pau Baizan & Mathew J. Creighton & Fernando Riosmena, 2016. "Prospects for the comparative study of international migration using quasi-longitudinal micro-data," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(26), pages 745-782.
    8. Sofia Gil-Clavel & Emilio Zagheni & Valeria Bordone, 2022. "Close Social Networks Among Older Adults: The Online and Offline Perspectives," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(3), pages 1111-1135, June.
    9. Andrés F. Castro Torres & Edith Y. Gutierrez Vazquez, 2020. "Gendered and stratified family formation trajectories in the context of Latin American migration, 1950 to 2000," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2020-027, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    10. Pau Baizan & Amparo González-Ferrer, 2016. "What drives Senegalese migration to Europe? The role of economic restructuring, labor demand, and the multiplier effect of networks," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(13), pages 339-380.
    11. Romuald Méango, 2016. "What Makes Brain Drain More Likely? Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," CESifo Working Paper Series 6209, CESifo.
    12. Tom Frere-Smith & Renee Luthra & Lucinda Platt, 2014. "Sampling Recently Arrived Immigrants in the UK: Exploring the effectiveness of Respondent Driven Sampling," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 1432, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    13. Isabelle Chort & Jean-Noël Senne, 2012. "Intra-household Selection into Migration : Evidence from a Matched Sample of Migrants and Origin Households in Senegal," Post-Print hal-01516775, HAL.
    14. Ludvig Levasseur & Jintong Tang & Masoud Karami, 2019. "Insomnia: An Important Antecedent Impacting Entrepreneurs’ Health," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, March.
    15. B. Sofia Gil-Clavel & Emilio Zagheni & Valeria Bordone, 2020. "Close social networks among older adults: the online and offline perspectives," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2020-035, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    16. Nick Williams & Adnan Efendic, 2019. "Internal displacement and external migration in a post-conflict economy: Perceptions of institutions among migrant entrepreneurs," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 558-585, December.
    17. Peter Lynn & Lucinda Platt & Alita Nandi & Violetta Parutis, 2018. "Design and implementation of a high-quality probability sample of immigrants and ethnic minorities: Lessons learnt," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 38(21), pages 513-548.
    18. Ludvig Levasseur & Jintong Tang & Masoud Karami & Lowell Busenitz & K. Michele Kacmar, 2022. "Increasing alertness to new opportunities: the influence of positive affect and implications for innovation," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 27-49, March.
    19. Fernando Riosmena, 2016. "The Potential and Limitations of Cross-Context Comparative Research on Migration," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 666(1), pages 28-45, July.
    20. Lingyun Zhai & Pengzhen Yin & Chenyang Li & Jingjing Wang & Min Yang, 2022. "Investigating the Effects of Video-Based E-Word-of-Mouth on Consumers’ Purchase Intention: The Moderating Role of Involvement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, August.
    21. David McKenzie, 2012. "Learning about migration through experiments," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 1207, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    22. Lucinda Platt & Renee Luthra & Tom Frere-Smith, 2015. "Adapting chain referral methods to sample new migrants," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 33(24), pages 665-700.
    23. Amparo González-Ferrer & Pau Baizán & Cris Beauchemin, 2012. "Child-Parent Separations among Senegalese Migrants to Europe," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 643(1), pages 106-133, September.
    24. Pau Baizán & Cris Beauchemin & Amparo González-Ferrer, 2014. "An Origin and Destination Perspective on Family Reunification: The Case of Senegalese Couples," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 30(1), pages 65-87, February.
    25. Anne Gosselin & Annabel Desgrées du Loû & Eva Lelièvre & France Lert & Rosemary Dray-Spira & Nathalie Lydié, 2018. "Understanding Settlement Pathways of African Immigrants in France Through a Capability Approach: Do Pre-migratory Characteristics Matter?," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 34(5), pages 849-871, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    international migration; survey methodology; sampling;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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