Abstract
Migrant remittances and their impacts are among the most studied topics in the social sciences. They are also often mis-studied. The primary goal of this chapter is to provide an empirical framework to analyze migrant remittances and their economic impacts. Along the way, we critically review selected works in the remittances-and-development literature, though our intent is not to offer a comprehensive literature review. We start with an idealized thought experiment to elucidate identification challenges. Next, we review several empirical strategies that have been used in the literature to identify the impacts of migration and remittances. Our review focuses on the positive and negative aspects of each strategy, as well as implementation challenges. A survey of existing literature follows, organized by outcomes of interest.
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Notes
- 1.
For world remittances , see: Dalip Ratha, Worldwide Remittance Flows updated to $483 billion for 2011. http://blogs.worldbank.org/peoplemove/worldwide-remittance -flows-updated-to-483-billion-for-2011. Aid data are from OECD’s Development Co-operation Directorate, “Development aid reaches an historic high in 2010.” http://www.oecd.org/document/35/0,3746,en_2649_34447_ 47515235_1_1_1_1,00.html
- 2.
These are households that do not have an immediate household member abroad in the United State s and so are receiving remittances from more distant family or friends.
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Taylor, J.E., Castelhano, M. (2016). Economic Impacts of Migrant Remittances. In: White, M. (eds) International Handbook of Migration and Population Distribution. International Handbooks of Population, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7282-2_24
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7282-2_24
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