Applied Economics Lunch Seminar

Du 22/01/2019 de 12:30 à 13:30

Salle R2-01, Campus Jourdan, 48 boulevard Jourdan, 75014 Paris

FERNANDEZ-SANCHEZ Martin (PSE)

Mass Migration and Education over a Century: Evidence from the Galician Diaspora

This paper analyzes the impact of mass migration on human capital accumulation at origin over a century. I examine one of the largest migration episodes in the XX century, the Galician diaspora in Latin America. Using data from different historical sources I build a unique database of all Galician villages from 1860 to today with information on migration, literacy rates, migrants' associations and their investments at origin. To infer causality I exploit the fact that the distance to a few ports was a key determinant of migration intensity, especially in times of good economic conditions at destination. The results show that in the short run, migration significantly increased literacy rates due to the selection of illiterate into migration and an increase in the stock of literate. In the long run, migration led to more schools per capita, higher enrolment rates and higher schooling levels. These findings are largely explained by migrants associations financing the construction of schools, by the return of educated migrants, and by a change in perceptions about the value of education.