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Cultural gravity effects among migrants: A comparative analysis of the EU15

Tubadji, Annie; Nijkamp, Peter

Authors

Annie Tubadji

Peter Nijkamp



Abstract

© 2015 Clark University. This article introduces cultural gravity as a concept that serves to better disentangle the direction and magnitude of the effects from migration, which is controversial in recent literature. The aim is to test for cultural gravity effects on both the geographic concentration and human capital productivity of immigrants in the EU15 countries. Operationally, we proceed to construct an empirical cultural gravity measure and test it with the use of a composite cross-sectional database, comprising, inter alia, the World Value Survey and Eurostat Census data. After an initial exploration of relevant cultural data by means of multivariate statistical analysis, we present an extended formulation of a gravity model approached through logistic regression methods and a three-stage least-squares estimation. Our results clearly demonstrate the existence of a cultural gravity effect among immigrants. Finally, an interesting finding is that cultural gravity also plays a significant role in the context of the Culture-Based Development (CBD) growth model.

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 14, 2015
Publication Date Jan 1, 2015
Deposit Date Jan 24, 2018
Journal Economic Geography
Print ISSN 0013-0095
Electronic ISSN 1944-8287
Publisher Taylor & Francis
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 91
Issue 3
Pages 343-380
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/ecge.12088
Keywords immigration, gravity, cultural distance, human capital, cultural capital, productivity
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/844834
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ecge.12088
Contract Date Jan 24, 2018