IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/crm/wpaper/2412.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The Relationship between Social Capital and Migrant Integration, Ethnic Diversity, and Spatial Sorting

Author

Listed:
  • Matthew Roskruge

    (Massey University, New Zealand)

  • Jacques Poot

    (University of Waikato, New Zealand)

Abstract

In this paper, we present evidence from quantitative research over the last decade on how the social capital of individuals in Aotearoa New Zealand is associated with birthplace and, for migrants, years since migration. We also consider the effects of spatial sorting and ethnic diversity on social capital formation. Aotearoa New Zealand has one of the highest rates of immigration in the OECD and, consequently, one of the highest shares of foreign-born individuals in the population. Additionally, the population is characterized by high ethnic diversity and a large indigenous population, with MÄ ori representing 17 percent of the population. Using several data sources, we measure social capital by focusing on participation and volunteering in a range of community activities, perceptions of safety and inclusion, and voting in elections. Regression modelling shows that, as expected, migrants have little local social capital upon arrival. However, differences between their social capital and that of native-born individuals reduce considerably as the duration of residence in Aotearoa New Zealand increases. When the migrant share in a region is larger than the national average, migrants invest less in bridging social capital. Migrant clustering within a region increases their investment in bonding social capital. Bridging activities are associated with better employment outcomes. Less than one in five respondents in the utilized survey data report discrimination, and for migrants, discrimination declines with years of residence. However, the trend in discrimination has been upward over time and particularly affects non-European migrants and persons identifying with MÄ ori and Pacific Peoples ethnicities. Residential location matters. Greater ethnic diversity is associated with the perception of a less safe neighbourhood, but individuals in ethnically diverse regions experience relatively less discrimination. Additionally, there is more involvement in elections in such regions. In contrast, greater ethnic polarisation in regions is associated with less civic engagement and more discrimination.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew Roskruge & Jacques Poot, 2024. "The Relationship between Social Capital and Migrant Integration, Ethnic Diversity, and Spatial Sorting," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 2412, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    • Handle: RePEc:crm:wpaper:2412
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/24012.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jacques Poot & Bridget Daldy & Matthew Roskruge, 2013. "Perception of workplace discrimination among immigrants and native born New Zealanders," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 16(1), pages 137-154.
    2. Nick Obradovich & Ömer Özak & Ignacio Martín & Ignacio Ortuño-Ortín & Edmond Awad & Manuel Cebrián & Rubén Cuevas & Klaus Desmet & Iyad Rahwan & Ángel Cuevas, 2020. "Expanding the Measurement of Culture with a Sample of Two Billion Humans," NBER Working Papers 27827, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Yann Algan & Camille Hémet & David D. Laitin, 2016. "The Social Effects of Ethnic Diversity at the Local Level: A Natural Experiment with Exogenous Residential Allocation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 124(3), pages 696-733.
    4. Lorenzo Rocco & Elena Fumagalli & Marc Suhrcke, 2014. "From Social Capital To Health – And Back," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(5), pages 586-605, May.
    5. Philip McCann & Jacques Poot & Lynda Sanderson, 2010. "Migration, relationship capital and international travel: theory and evidence," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 10(3), pages 361-387, May.
    6. Matthew Roskruge & Arthur Grimes & Philip McCann & Jacques Poot, 2013. "Homeownership, Social Capital and Satisfaction with Local Government," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(12), pages 2517-2534, September.
    7. Leonardo Bursztyn & Thomas Chaney & Tarek A. Hassan & Aakaash Rao, 2024. "The Immigrant Next Door," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(2), pages 348-384, February.
    8. Chiswick, Barry R, 1978. "The Effect of Americanization on the Earnings of Foreign-born Men," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 86(5), pages 897-921, October.
    9. Huang, Jian & Maassen van den Brink, Henriëtte & Groot, Wim, 2009. "A meta-analysis of the effect of education on social capital," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 454-464, August.
    10. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/6lcb7ovms687vbos73r9r0is5g is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Edward L. Glaeser & David Laibson & Bruce Sacerdote, 2002. "An Economic Approach to Social Capital," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(483), pages 437-458, November.
    12. Ceren Ozgen & Cornelius Peters & Annekatrin Niebuhr & Peter Nijkamp & Jacques Poot, 2014. "Does Cultural Diversity of Migrant Employees Affect Innovation?," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48, pages 377-416, September.
    13. Michael Bernabé Aguilera, 2002. "The Impact of Social Capital on Labor Force Participation: Evidence from the 2000 Social Capital Benchmark Survey," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 83(3), pages 853-874, September.
    14. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/4rm8ji0nae9elbggr366la3786 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Villalonga-Olives, E. & Kawachi, I., 2017. "The dark side of social capital: A systematic review of the negative health effects of social capital," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 105-127.
    16. Economidou Claire & Karamanis Dimitris & Kechrinioti Alexandra & Xesfingi Sofia, 2020. "The Role of Social Capital in Shaping Europeans’ Immigration Sentiments," IZA Journal of Development and Migration, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-31, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lebenbaum, Michael & Gagnon, France & de Oliveira, Claire & Laporte, Audrey, 2024. "Genetic endowments for social capital: An investigation accounting for genetic nurturing effects," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    2. Zhiling Wang, 2020. "The incompatibility of local economic prosperity and migrants’ social integration: evidence from the Netherlands," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 64(1), pages 57-78, February.
    3. Usman Khalid & Mohammad Amin, 2023. "The impact of ethnic fractionalisation on labor productivity: Does firm size matter?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(7), pages 2213-2249, October.
    4. Barış Alpaslan & Julide Yildirim, 2020. "The Missing Link: Are Individuals with More Social Capital in Better Health? Evidence from India," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 811-834, August.
    5. Vittadini, Giorgio & Sturaro, Caterina & Folloni, Giuseppe, 2022. "Non-Cognitive Skills and Cognitive Skills to measure school efficiency," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    6. Setti Rais Ali & Paul Dourgnon & Lise Rochaix, 2018. "Social Capital or Education: What Matters Most to Cut Time to Diagnosis?," Working Papers halshs-01703170, HAL.
    7. Richard P.C. Brown & Gareth Leeves & Nichola Kitson & Prabha Prayaga, 2015. "Give and Take or Give and Give: Charitable Giving in Migrant Households," Discussion Papers Series 547, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    8. ., 2012. "Migration impact assessment: a state of the art," Chapters, in: Peter Nijkamp & Jacques Poot & Mediha Sahin (ed.), Migration Impact Assessment, chapter 1, pages 3-62, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Matthew Roskruge & Arthur Grimes & Philip McCann & Jacques Poot, 2013. "Homeownership, Social Capital and Satisfaction with Local Government," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(12), pages 2517-2534, September.
    10. Quintal, Carlota & Ramos, Luís Moura & Torres, Pedro, 2023. "Disentangling the complexities of modelling when high social capital contributes to indicating good health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    11. Amy Chan Hyung Kim & Jungsu Ryu & Chungsup Lee & Kyung Min Kim & Jinmoo Heo, 2021. "Sport Participation and Happiness Among Older Adults: A Mediating Role of Social Capital," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1623-1641, April.
    12. Brown, Sarah & McHardy, Jolian & Taylor, Karl, 2014. "Intergenerational analysis of social interaction and social skills: An analysis of U.S. and U.K. panel data," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 43-54.
    13. Hwei‐Lin Chuang & Ning Hsieh & Eric S. Lin, 2010. "Labour Market Activity Of Foreign Spouses In Taiwan: Employment Status And Choice Of Employment Sector," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(4), pages 505-531, October.
    14. Liu, Gordon G. & Xue, Xindong & Yu, Chenxi & Wang, Yafeng, 2016. "How does social capital matter to the health status of older adults? Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 177-189.
    15. Susan Lagaert & Thom Snaphaan & Veerle Vyncke & Wim Hardyns & Lieven J. R. Pauwels & Sara Willems, 2021. "A Multilevel Perspective on the Health Effect of Social Capital: Evidence for the Relative Importance of Individual Social Capital over Neighborhood Social Capital," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-21, February.
    16. Matthew James Roskruge & Arthur Grimes & Philip McCann & Jacques Poot, 2011. "Housing and Social Capital in New Zealand," ERSA conference papers ersa10p784, European Regional Science Association.
    17. Roychowdhury, Punarjit, 2021. "Too unwell to trust? The effect of mental health on social trust in Europe," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    18. Leeves, Gareth.D. & Herbert, Ric., 2014. "Gender differences in social capital investment: Theory and evidence," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 377-385.
    19. Nijkamp, P. & Poot, H.J., 2012. "Migration impact assessment: A state of the art," Serie Research Memoranda 0009, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Econometrics.
    20. Gareth D. Leeves, 2014. "Increasing returns to education and the impact on social capital," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(5), pages 449-470, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    social capital; ethnic diversity; bonding; bridging; linking; immigrant integration; spatial sorting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:crm:wpaper:2412. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: CReAM Administrator or Matthew Nibloe (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cmucluk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.