The role of migrant networks on economic outcomes during the age of mass migration: Swedish immigrants in the U.S. 1900–1920
Castillo, Marcos LU
and Helgertz, Jonas
LU
(2025)
In The History of the Family
30(2).
p.193-216
- Abstract
- This paper explores the role of migrant networks on the occupa-tional earnings of Swedish male immigrants in the United Statesfrom 1900 to 1920. Using data from full-count U.S. censuses, weconstruct various measurements of migrant networks based on theshare of Swedish, other Scandinavian, and other foreign-born indi-viduals at both the county and neighborhood levels. To define theneighborhood levels, we exploit the fact that the historical U.Scensuses typically enumerated next-door neighbors followingeach other in census forms. The findings reveal a nuanced relation-ship between migrant networks and economic outcomes.Specifically, residing in counties with a high concentration ofSwedish or other Scandinavian immigrants is linked to lower... (More)
- This paper explores the role of migrant networks on the occupa-tional earnings of Swedish male immigrants in the United Statesfrom 1900 to 1920. Using data from full-count U.S. censuses, weconstruct various measurements of migrant networks based on theshare of Swedish, other Scandinavian, and other foreign-born indi-viduals at both the county and neighborhood levels. To define theneighborhood levels, we exploit the fact that the historical U.Scensuses typically enumerated next-door neighbors followingeach other in census forms. The findings reveal a nuanced relation-ship between migrant networks and economic outcomes.Specifically, residing in counties with a high concentration ofSwedish or other Scandinavian immigrants is linked to lower occu-pational earnings, consistent with prior research. In contrast, livingin neighborhoods with a substantial presence of Swedish or otherScandinavian-born individuals is associated with higher occupa-tional earnings. Importantly, these effects are entirely driven byurban areas, where migrant networks appear to facilitate bettereconomic opportunities. In rural areas, no significant networkeffects are observed. These findings highlight the importance ofconsidering spatial dimensions and varying levels of social proxi-mity when studying migrant networks. By broadening the defini-tion of these networks, this paper offers a deeper understanding oftheir role in shaping the economic assimilation of immigrants. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/00af5c6e-e8d6-4b9d-b443-fa8fd74bb264
- author
- Castillo, Marcos
LU
and Helgertz, Jonas
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- migration, networks, migrant behavior, cumulative causation, mass migration
- in
- The History of the Family
- volume
- 30
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 193 - 216
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85214202506
- ISSN
- 1873-5398
- DOI
- 10.1080/1081602X.2024.2441813
- project
- Swedes in America: Migrant Selection, Integration and Returns in the Age of Mass Migration
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 00af5c6e-e8d6-4b9d-b443-fa8fd74bb264
- date added to LUP
- 2025-02-03 13:47:15
- date last changed
- 2025-06-10 07:53:59
@article{00af5c6e-e8d6-4b9d-b443-fa8fd74bb264,
abstract = {{This paper explores the role of migrant networks on the occupa-tional earnings of Swedish male immigrants in the United Statesfrom 1900 to 1920. Using data from full-count U.S. censuses, weconstruct various measurements of migrant networks based on theshare of Swedish, other Scandinavian, and other foreign-born indi-viduals at both the county and neighborhood levels. To define theneighborhood levels, we exploit the fact that the historical U.Scensuses typically enumerated next-door neighbors followingeach other in census forms. The findings reveal a nuanced relation-ship between migrant networks and economic outcomes.Specifically, residing in counties with a high concentration ofSwedish or other Scandinavian immigrants is linked to lower occu-pational earnings, consistent with prior research. In contrast, livingin neighborhoods with a substantial presence of Swedish or otherScandinavian-born individuals is associated with higher occupa-tional earnings. Importantly, these effects are entirely driven byurban areas, where migrant networks appear to facilitate bettereconomic opportunities. In rural areas, no significant networkeffects are observed. These findings highlight the importance ofconsidering spatial dimensions and varying levels of social proxi-mity when studying migrant networks. By broadening the defini-tion of these networks, this paper offers a deeper understanding oftheir role in shaping the economic assimilation of immigrants.}},
author = {{Castillo, Marcos and Helgertz, Jonas}},
issn = {{1873-5398}},
keywords = {{migration; networks; migrant behavior; cumulative causation; mass migration}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{193--216}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{The History of the Family}},
title = {{The role of migrant networks on economic outcomes during the age of mass migration: Swedish immigrants in the U.S. 1900–1920}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1081602X.2024.2441813}},
doi = {{10.1080/1081602X.2024.2441813}},
volume = {{30}},
year = {{2025}},
}