International Migration: A Global Complex Network

Discussion Paper 12-123/VIII

31 Pages Posted: 17 Nov 2012

See all articles by Emmanouil Tranos

Emmanouil Tranos

University of Birmingham

Masood Gheasi

VU University Amsterdam

Peter Nijkamp

VU University of Amsterdam - Department of Spatial Economics; Tinbergen Institute

Date Written: 2012

Abstract

Migration has become a prominent research theme in geography and regional science and it has been approached from various methodological angles. Nonetheless, a common missing element in most migration studies is the lack of awareness of the overall network topology, which characterizes migration flows. Although gravity models focus on spatial interaction - in this case migration - between pairs of origins and destinations, they do not provide insights into the topology of a migration network. In the present paper, we will employ network analysis to address such systemic research questions, in particular: How centralized or dispersed are migration flows and how does this structure evolve over time? And how is migration activity clustered between specific countries, and if so, do such patterns change over time? Going a step further than exploratory network analysis, this paper estimates international migration models for OECD countries based on a dual approach: gravity models estimated using conventional econometric approaches such as panel data regressions as well as network-based regression techniques such as MRQAP. The empirical results reveal not only the determinants of international migration among OECD countries, but also the value of blending network analysis with more conventional analytic methods.

Keywords: immigration, gravity model, complex networks, community detection, MRQAP

JEL Classification: F22, O15, D85

Suggested Citation

Tranos, Emmanouil and Gheasi, Masood and Nijkamp, Peter, International Migration: A Global Complex Network (2012). Discussion Paper 12-123/VIII, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2176744 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2176744

Emmanouil Tranos (Contact Author)

University of Birmingham ( email )

United Kingdom

Masood Gheasi

VU University Amsterdam ( email )

De Boelelaan 1105
Amsterdam, ND North Holland 1081 HV
Netherlands

Peter Nijkamp

VU University of Amsterdam - Department of Spatial Economics ( email )

De Boelelaan 1105
1081HV Amsterdam
Netherlands
+31 20 4446091 (Phone)
+31 20 4445611 (Fax)

Tinbergen Institute

Gustav Mahlerplein 117
Amsterdam, 1082 MS
Netherlands

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