Seminar: Topics in Migration Economics in Historical and Modern Perspective
Prof. Dr. Ludger Woessmann and Dr. Marc Piopiunik
This seminar addresses different topics in the area of migration economics both in modern and historical perspective. We address the issue of selection, i.e., which type of individuals (low- or high-educated) tend to migrate to other countries. We discuss this question from a theoretical and empirical perspective, both with historical and modern data. We also cover topics such as education/earnings assimilation in the host country and the impact of immigration on labor market outcomes (employment and wage) of natives. The impact of immigration on crime is another area of research that will be discussed. In the context of developing countries, we discuss the issue of brain drain and the importance of remittances of family members who have migrated. In the education and labor context, we also discuss the importance of host-country language skills. Further topics include the international migration of scientists as well as return migration. From a methodological perspective, we put particular emphasis on the identification strategies used to estimate causal effects. Therefore, interest in econometric topics is an important prerequisite for attending the seminar.