Work

Migration and the epidemiological approach: Time and self-selection into foreign ancestries matter

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The epidemiological approach in comparative development uses data on individuals of immigrant origin to study cultural persistence, the determinants of cultural norms, and the effects of genetic traits. A common assumption of this methodology is its susceptibility to attenuation bias. We challenge it by demonstrating how the increasing reliance on foreign ancestries to identify respondents’ origins can introduce confounding biases. Specifically, self-selection in reporting foreign ancestry and unobserved variation in ancestral migration timing may lead to inflated estimates. We formalize these mechanisms through a theoretical framework and illustrate their empirical significance by reassessing key findings from influential studies by Fernández and Fogli (2006) and Giuliano and Nunn (2021). • The epidemiological approach relies on data on natives of foreign ancestry. • A very large share of the native population does not report any foreign ancestry. • Reporting correlates with unobserved determinants of the cultural traits. • A simple framework describes the analytical challenges for the econometric analysis. • We show the empirical relevance of these challenges with two illustrative examples.

Source: Journal of Development Economics

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2025.103505

Authors: Simone Bertoli, Melchior Clerc, Jordan Loper, Èric Roca Fernández

Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Clermont Auvergne, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International

Language: English

Topic: Culture, Economy, and Development Studies

Subfield: Demography

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,590