TY - JOUR
T1 - A theory of migration as a response to occupational stigma
AU - Fan, C. Simon
AU - Stark, Oded
PY - 2011/5
Y1 - 2011/5
N2 - A theory is developed of labor migration that is prompted by a desire to avoid "social humiliation." In a general-equilibrium framework, it is shown that as long as migration can reduce humiliation sufficiently, migration will occur even between two identical economies. Migration increases the number of individuals who choose to perform degrading jobs and consequently, migration lowers the price of the good produced in the sector that is associated with low social status. Moreover, the greater an individual's aversion to performing degrading jobs, the more likely it is that he will experience a welfare gain when the economy opens up.
AB - A theory is developed of labor migration that is prompted by a desire to avoid "social humiliation." In a general-equilibrium framework, it is shown that as long as migration can reduce humiliation sufficiently, migration will occur even between two identical economies. Migration increases the number of individuals who choose to perform degrading jobs and consequently, migration lowers the price of the good produced in the sector that is associated with low social status. Moreover, the greater an individual's aversion to performing degrading jobs, the more likely it is that he will experience a welfare gain when the economy opens up.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79955448352&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1468-2354.2011.00638.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1468-2354.2011.00638.x
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AN - SCOPUS:79955448352
SN - 0020-6598
VL - 52
SP - 549
EP - 571
JO - International Economic Review
JF - International Economic Review
IS - 2
ER -
