Immigration, Social Networks, and the Emergence of Ethnic Segmentation in a Low-Skill Labor Market

Abstract

Postwar migration to “western” countries has gone hand in hand with the development of ethnically segmented labor markets, particularly in low-skill roles where entry requirements are minimal. While numerous theories have been forwarded as to why such situations occur, it has remained difficult to empirically test the relative impact of the many interacting processes that produce segmentation in the labor market. In this article, we investigate the processes of ethnic segmentation in low-skilled labor markets, where referral hiring is the norm, with particular reference to the role of ethnically homogeneous social networks and forms of discrimination. We employ an agent-based modeling approach, adapting key elements from Waldinger and Lichter’s widely cited networked explanation of ethnic labor market segmentation. This approach allows us to provide a different lens on theories of ethnic labor market segmentation, investigating the relative impacts of different causal processes that are difficult to investigate in this way using other social science approaches. The overall results from our model indicate that ethnically homogeneous social networks have the effect of increasing the level of ethnic segmentation within a referral-based labor market, but that these networks also help immigrant populations grow and protect them from the negative impacts of employer discrimination. Furthermore, these networks have a greater impact on labor market segmentation than discrimination alone. In conclusion, this sociologically informed agent-based model provides important insights into the manner and extent in which changes in social conditions may affect population-level phenomena.

The Work Environment of Immigrant Employees in Sweden—a Systematic Review

“…Ethnic segmentation in the labor market has, among other things, been attributed to the unequal opportunity structures of ethnically homogeneous networks and discrimination in recruitment (cf. Meyer & Vasey, 2020). Moreover, the employment protection legislation for fixedterm and temporary employment contracts in Sweden has weakened in recent decades.…”

Double transition of young migrants in Luxembourg: vulnerable, resilient and empowering integration trajectories in the period of youth

“…Such a discriminatory practise may have a profound impact on school-towork transition trajectories and even on adult life trajectories. The effects of such a phenomenon may lead to the production of a process of social segmentation (e.g., Martin, 1994;Meyer and Vasey, 2020). On the one hand, young migrants affected by such discrimination are driven to less prestigious and less well-paid jobs, a factor that may pose additional difficulties to the school-to-work transition and to the process of transition to adulthood in general, as it would negatively impact the conditions of constructing a financially independent, adult way of life.…”

Neighbourhoods and oral health: Agent-based modelling of tooth decay

“…Each simulation was run 10 times to account for the probabilistic nature of the models, and average scores were taken. Although 50 runs are more commonly used (Malleson et al, 2010), 10 runs have also been used in previous geographical (Crooks 2008) and labour market based ABMs (Meyer and Vasey, 2018). However due to computing resources this was not possible.…”