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Understanding Economic Integration in Immigrant and Refugee Populations: A Scoping Review of Concepts and Metrics in the United States

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  • Mitra Naseh

    (Initiative on Social Work and Forced Migration, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA)

  • Jihye Lee

    (Initiative on Social Work and Forced Migration, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA)

  • Yingying Zeng

    (School of Social Work, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Proscovia Nabunya

    (International Center for Child Health and Development, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA)

  • Valencia Alvarez

    (Initiative on Social Work and Forced Migration, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA)

  • Meena Safi

    (Initiative on Social Work and Forced Migration, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA)

Abstract

In an increasingly mobile world, the integration of immigrants and displaced individuals is an important factor in creating cohesive and inclusive societies. Integration has different dimensions; this scoping review examines the conceptualization and measurement of economic integration among immigrants and refugees in the United States. Quantitative peer-reviewed journal papers measuring or conceptualizing the economic integration of first-generation documented adult immigrants or refugees in the United States, as well as relevant conceptual or theory papers on this topic, were included in the review. The search strategy included an online search of the Web of Science Core Collection, PsycINFO, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), and EconLit. Additional search strategies included scanning the reference lists of studies identified as relevant in the initial database search. An analysis of 72 studies included in the review using a data extraction table reveals seven key domains of economic integration: income and economic security, employment and occupational categories, assets and use of financial services, neighborhood and housing, health, education, and use of public assistance. Income and economic security emerged as the most common indicators of integration in the reviewed studies. Notably, less than half of the reviewed publications had a multidimensional approach to defining or measuring economic integration, and the majority of studies were focused on immigrants, with a smaller proportion dedicated to refugees. This review emphasizes the need for comprehensive frameworks in assessing economic integration among immigrants and refugees, reflecting the multifaceted nature of their economic integration experiences.

Suggested Citation

  • Mitra Naseh & Jihye Lee & Yingying Zeng & Proscovia Nabunya & Valencia Alvarez & Meena Safi, 2024. "Understanding Economic Integration in Immigrant and Refugee Populations: A Scoping Review of Concepts and Metrics in the United States," Economies, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jecomi:v:12:y:2024:i:7:p:167-:d:1426228
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bernt Bratsberg & Erling Barth & Oddbjørn Raaum, 2006. "Local Unemployment and the Relative Wages of Immigrants: Evidence from the Current Population Surveys," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 88(2), pages 243-263, May.
    2. Anna Paulson & Sherrie Rhine, 2008. "The Financial Assimilation of an Immigrant Group: Evidence on the Use of Checking and Savings Accounts and Currency Exchanges," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 264-278, June.
    3. Ran Abramitzky & Leah Platt Boustan & Katherine Eriksson, 2014. "A Nation of Immigrants: Assimilation and Economic Outcomes in the Age of Mass Migration," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 122(3), pages 467-506.
    4. Swarnankur Chatterjee & Velma Zahirovic-Herbert, 2014. "A road to assimilation: immigrants and financial markets," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 38(2), pages 345-358, April.
    5. Mary Antonia Silles, 2018. "The Effects of Language Skills on the Economic Assimilation of Female Immigrants in the United States," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 86(6), pages 789-815, December.
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