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Ethnic Goods and Immigrant Assimilation

Author

Listed:
  • Abdulloev, Ilhom

    (Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation, Tajikistan)

  • Epstein, Gil S.

    (Bar-Ilan University)

  • Gang, Ira N.

    (Rutgers University)

Abstract

Some immigrants try to keep their ethnicity hidden while others become ever deeply more mired in their home culture. We argue that among immigrants this struggle manifests itself in the ethnic goods they choose to consume. Different types of ethnic goods have vastly different effects on immigrant assimilation. We develop a simple theoretical model useful for capturing the consequences of this struggle, illustrating it with examples of Central Asian assimilation into the Muscovite economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdulloev, Ilhom & Epstein, Gil S. & Gang, Ira N., 2014. "Ethnic Goods and Immigrant Assimilation," IZA Discussion Papers 8004, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Carmel Chiswick, 2009. "The economic determinants of ethnic assimilation," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 22(4), pages 859-880, October.
    2. Gil S. Epstein, 2012. "Migrants, Ethnicity and the Welfare State," Korean Economic Review, Korean Economic Association, vol. 28, pages 117-136.
    3. Alberto Alesina & Eliana La Ferrara, 2000. "Participation in Heterogeneous Communities," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 115(3), pages 847-904.
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    7. Chiswick, Barry R & Miller, Paul W, 1995. "The Endogeneity between Language and Earnings: International Analyses," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 13(2), pages 246-288, April.
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    13. Gil S. Epstein & Ira N. Gang, 2009. "Ethnicity, assimilation, and harassment in the labor market," Research in Labor Economics, in: Ethnicity and Labor Market Outcomes, pages 67-88, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    14. 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.
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    Cited by:

    1. X. Ruiz del Portal, 2017. "Optimal mixed taxation, public goods and the problem of high-skilled emigration," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 97-119, October.
    2. Nakagawa, Mariko & Sato, Yasuhiro & Tabuchi, Takatoshi & Yamamoto, Kazuhiro, 2022. "Do people accept different cultures?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    3. Eiji Yamamura & Inyong Shin, 2016. "Effect of consuming imported cultural goods on trading partners’ tolerance toward immigrants: the case of Japanese anime in Korea," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 152(4), pages 681-703, November.
    4. Akkoyunlu, Şule & Epstein, Gil S. & Gang, Ira N., 2022. "Migration and University Education: An Empirical (Macro) Link," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1096, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Abdulloev, Ilhom & Epstein, Gil S. & Gang, Ira N., 2019. "Schooling Forsaken: Education and Migration," IZA Discussion Papers 12088, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Yamamura, Eiji & Shin, Inyong, 2014. "Effect of consuming imported cultural goods on tolerance for immigrants from trade partners: Case of Japanese anime in Korea," MPRA Paper 58467, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ethnic goods; culture; migrants; assimilation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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