Migrant smuggling when exploitation is private information

This study contributes to the small theoretical literature on human smuggling by assuming for the first time asymmetric information in analysis. The assumption raises the possibility of an adverse selection equilibrium where only exploitative smugglers are employed at a low fee even though migrants are willing to pay non‐exploitative smugglers a high fee. More important, I find that improved inland apprehension of migrants may increase the incidence of migrant exploitation while failing to decrease smuggling attempts. Furthermore, improved border apprehension of migrants and smugglers may not affect the market at all.     

On tariffs and smuggling

The purpose of this paper is to show that if a country wants to eliminate smuggling, it may have to increase rather than decrease the tariff. This paradoxical case could take place if the country in question is large and the foreign elasticity of demand for imports is inelastic.     

Effect of generic cigarettes on US cigarette demand and smuggling

This paper examines the effects of generic cigarettes on overall cigarette demand and smuggling, and studies influences of casual and organized smuggling for the United States. Generic cigarettes lower the price elasticity and diminish the effect of formal smuggling.     

Black market for foreign exchange,capital flows and smuggling

The paper develops a geometrical model of the working of a black market for foreign exchange and considers such questions as: Can the black market exchange rate be a guiding instrument to exchange control authorities considering a change in the exchange rate? How does exchange control affect the current and capital account use of foreign exchange in the presence of a foreign exchange black market? What are the implications of changes in trade restrictions (such as import tariffs) for the black market exchange rate, supplies of foreign exchange to exchange control authorities, and current and capital account use of foreign exchange?     

Migrant remittances and fertility

This study examines the role of migrants’ remittances in developing countries’ fertility transition. Employing an unbalanced panel of South Asian countries and controlling for various economic and socio-demographic factors, we find that remittances are significantly associated with a lower number of children born to women of childbearing age. This suggests the remittances’ substitution effect to be at play rather than the income effect, and may result from decreased need for children for financing the household’s future needs as well as from better access to healthcare and contraceptive methods available to migrant households. Remittances’ association with fertility appears to be more important than the transfer of fertility norms from migrants’ host countries. The monetary aspects of international migration may therefore be more important for the region’s demographic transition than social remittances.     

Formation of Migrant Networks

In this paper, we provide the first direct evidence on the internal structure of the migrant social network. By using a purposely designed survey on Sri Lankan immigrants living in Milan, we show that the pattern of within‐group link formation is heterogeneous across immigrants, and differentiated according to the network function (i.e., accommodation, credit, job‐finding). We find that migrants tend to interact with co‐nationals who come from nearby localities at origin, while the time of arrival has a U‐shaped effect. Once the link is formed, material support is provided mainly to relatives, while early migrant fellows are helpful for job‐finding.     

农民工社会认同的形成——基于建筑业农民工的考察

农民工的社会认同关系到这个群体城市融入的问题。依据对建筑业农民工群体实地考察和问卷调查,探讨社会结构和制度安排如何建构了农民工群体的归属感问题。对社会认同的研究不仅要关注宏观制度结构因素对群体的身份地位的作用和影响,还应从微观的角度,分析制度设置是如何建构成员对群体的依附、归属并建构出群体边界的问题。只有改善农民工的劳动条件,提高他们的保障水平,这个群体才有可能融入城市。     

Effects of enforcement on illegal markets: Evidence from migrant smuggling along the southwestern border

The paper analyzes the effects of tighter border control on the illegal crossing market between Mexico and the United States. Combining panel data on illegal migrants with enforcement statistics, the effects of enforcement are found to be moderate: prices of border smugglers (‘coyotes’) increased by only 17%, while the demand for smugglers has remained unchanged. Enforcement has however shifted illegal migrants to remote crossing places. Border crossing is now more time-intensive with higher prices for coyotes and risk of death. This geographic substitution raised migration costs by $140, more than twice the effect of enforcement on smuggling prices.     

Migrant networks and foreign direct investment

Although there exists a sizeable literature documenting the importance of ethnic networks for international trade, little attention has been devoted to studying the effects of migrants on foreign direct investment (FDI). The presence of migrants can stimulate FDI by promoting information flows across international borders and by serving as a contract enforcement mechanism. This paper investigates the link between the presence of migrants in the US and US FDI in the migrants' countries of origin, taking into account the potential endogeneity concerns. The results suggest that US FDI abroad is positively correlated with the presence of migrants from the host country. The data further indicate that the relationship between FDI and migration is stronger for migrants with tertiary education.     

农民工回流问题研究综述

关于农民工回流问题的研究涉及回流的相关理论、农民工回流的类型、层次、回流农民工返乡创业的影响及制约因素等方面。本文对学术界关于农民工回流问题的研究文献进行综述。     

提高农民工科学素质的对策研究——基于拓展农民工就业的思考

农民工的科学素质不仅影响着他们的就业,更影响着他们的社会贡献率。要开发利用好农民工这一人力资源,就要专门调查了解他们的科学素质状况,在此基础上提出相应的对策和措施,提高他们的科学素质,以拓展他们的就业渠道,提高他们的社会贡献率。     

返乡农民工创业研究——基于SWOT的分析

农民工返乡创业是促进农民工返乡就业和增收的有效方式,也是从根本上解决“三农”问题的重要途径。依据SWOT分析理论和QSPM矩阵决策分析工具,分别对返乡农民工的创业战略进行定性和定量研究,结果表明,农民工创业应采取开拓进取型和发展改进型两种战略,也即农民工应根据自身特点和优势,根据当地资源禀赋和区位优势,有选择地开展农业相关产业经营或延伸服务进行创业。     

农民工子女教育问题研究述评

党的十七大报告明确提出,“保障经济困难家庭、进城务工人员子女平等接受义务教育”。在综合当前学术界对农民工子女教育研究成果的基础上。首先对农民工子女教育政策演变过程进行分析,然后对当前农民工子女教育存在的主要问题及原因进行剖析,最后提出了一些有针对性的政策建议。     

对农民工社会保障问题的思考

建立农民工的社会保障制度是建设社会主义和谐社会的一个重要议题。文章探讨了农民工社会保障现状及原因,提出了完善农民工社会保障制度的基本思路。     

外出务工经历、社会资本与返乡农民工创业——来自CHIPS数据的证据

在经济新常态背景下,返乡农民工的创业选择日益成为大家关注的焦点.文章借助CHIPS微观调查数据,系统评估了外出务工经历对返乡农民工自主创业的影响.研究发现,外出务工经历显著提高了农民自主创业的概率.在处理了遗漏变量和外溢效应等内生性问题后,结果依旧稳健.在基本结论的基础上,文章还对社会资本的中介作用进行了实证检验.结果发现:与留守本地农民相比,有过外出务工经历的农民的社会关系网络更加广泛,且更容易获取创业资金、客户资源和经营许可.此外,文章进一步考察了外出务工经历对不同类型创业项目的异质性影响.具体看,外出务工经历对初始投资规模较小和以发展为目的的创业项目影响显著,对初始投资规模较大和以生存为目的的创业项目无明显作用.文章研究不仅有助于解释不同类型农民在创业决策上存在的巨大差异,还为当下政府支持返乡农民工创业提供了可借鉴的理论依据.     

在校流动儿童健康风险研究述评

随着我国流动人口规模和结构的改变,流动儿童比例不断增加,流动方式由"短期滞留"向"长期居住"转变,流动儿童的教育和健康问题日见突显。主要针对7-14岁的在校流动儿童的健康状况和健康风险进行文献述评。在校流动儿童的健康状况相对户籍儿童差,环境、行为与生活方式、卫生服务利用等方面的风险因素高于户籍儿童。在未来研究中应该更加关注在校流动儿童的健康监测研究、健康影响因素的系统分析、健康行为的多因素分析、相似儿童群体的比较研究等。     

外出从业、农村不平等和贫困

本文在"中国城乡劳动力流动课题组"(RUMiC)2008年农村住户调查数据基础上,使用两种互补的参数和半参数方法估计农村住户劳动力外出从业如果未发生时的农村居民反事实收入分布,进而比较基于反事实和事实收入分布的不平等和贫困指标值,以考察农村劳动力外出从业对农村收入不平等和贫困的影响。结果发现,现阶段农村住户劳动力如果不外出从业,将更加集中地处在农村收入分布的中低端;而农村住户劳动力的外出从业降低了农村收入不平等和贫困程度。     

农民工纳入城镇基本社会保障体系探析

为解决农民工社会保险问题,一些地方专门建立了外来务工人员社会保险制度,但实施困难、认同度低。与其重建一套制度,不如在改革城镇保险制度的基层上,分层、分类直接把农民工吸纳进入城镇保障体系,不但可以解决农民工社会保障,而且有利于城市化进程,有利于社会保障制度的健康发展。     

社会资本与农民工职业搜寻

农村剩余劳动力向非农产业和城镇转移,是中国工业化和现代化的必然趋势.社会学、人口学、劳动经济学和发展经济学从各自的角度对目前农民工问题进行了研究.本文借助社会资本这一概念,在职业搜寻理论的基础上提出了预期最优工资水平不变的假说,说明了社会资本在促进农民工就业方面的作用及局限.