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Changes in Social Trust: Evidence from East German Migrants

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  • Seong Hee Kim

    (The University of Suwon)

Abstract

Using three waves of the Germany's individual-level panel data, this paper analyses whether there are any changes in the trust levels of East German migrants who move to the former Western German regions after the reunification. The results demonstrate that the duration of living in the West is positively associated with East German migrants’ trust and that the labour market is the possible channel through which social trust is fostered. This finding suggests that trust is moulded through contemporaneous shocks or experiences.

Suggested Citation

  • Seong Hee Kim, 2021. "Changes in Social Trust: Evidence from East German Migrants," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 155(3), pages 959-981, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:155:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-021-02611-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-021-02611-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Ivanov, Denis, 2023. "Institutional reforms and social trust: Quasi-experimental evidence from the Caucasian states," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 829-859.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social trust; Migration; German reunification; East Germans;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General
    • P51 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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