Migrant Networks and International Migration: Testing Weak Ties

Abstract

This article examines the role of migrant social networks in international migration and extends prior research by testing the strength of tie theory, decomposing networks by sources and resources, and disentangling network effects from complementary explanations. Nearly all previous empirical research has ignored friendship ties and has largely neglected extended-family ties. Using longitudinal data from the Migration between Africa and Europe project collected in Africa (Senegal) and Europe (France, Italy, and Spain), this article tests the robustness of network theory-and in particular, the role of weak ties-on first-time migration between Senegal and Europe. Discrete-time hazard model results confirm that weak ties are important and that network influences appear to be gendered, but they do not uphold the contention in previous literature that strong ties are more important than weak ties for male and female migration. Indeed, weak ties play an especially important role in male migration. In terms of network resources, having more resources as a result of strong ties appears to dampen overall migration, while having more resources as a result of weaker ties appears to stimulate male migration. Finally, the diversity of resources has varied effects for male and female migration.

Conceptualizing the Dynamics between Bicultural Identification and Personal Social Networks

“…Coethnic friends and relatives living back home may give social support, safeguard the immigrant’s ethnic identity and skills, and even encourage adjustment to the new society (Lebon, 1983; Smith, 1999; Schultz, 2001). Similarly, coethnics in the country of destination may give important information and access to resources related to adapting to the host society (e.g., where and how to find a job), reducing the immigrant’s costs and risks in the country of settlement (Liu, 2013). Having said this, a social network comprised of too many coethnic individuals might be a burden to the immigrant’s acculturation potential, as the immigrant may feel pressured to hold on to habits or customs from the country of origin and may also lose an opportunity to learn and practice the host culture behaviors and norms (Luo and Wiseman, 2000).…”

Rural/Urban Population Age and Sex Composition in sub‐Saharan Africa 1980–2015

“…When urbanization levels are relatively low, as in SSA, this approach may be preferable given the larger and typically more stable population base. Also, this approach may be more robust to international migration if the likelihood of international migration from urban areas is greater (Liu ; Bocquier ).…”

Prospects for the comparative study of international migration using quasi-longitudinal micro-data

“…As expected in the discussion of sampling design (the assignment of household headship in MMP to absent males), more than a third of households are female-headed in MAFE-Senegal, while only between a tenth and a fifth of MMP households are female-headed. These figures are also related to the male-predominant nature of migration out of Senegal, particularly migration to Europe(Liu 2013, Schoumaker et al 2013, Toma and Vause 2014), while by 2010, nearly half of Mexico-born individuals in the U.S. were female (Donato and Gabaccia 2016). Moreover, among both internal and international Senegalese migrants, living apart from their partners is a frequent and long-lasting situation (Baizan et al 2014a).…”