Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP14179
Authors: Alberto Bisin; Giulia Tura
Abstract: We study the cultural integration of immigrants, estimating a structural model of maritalmatching along ethnic dimensions, exploring in detail the role of fertility, and possiblydivorce in the integration process. We exploit rich administrative demographic dataon the universe of marriages formed in Italy, as well as birth and separation records from1995 to 2012. We estimate strong preferences of ethnic minorities' towards socializationof children to their own identity, identifying marital selection and fertility choicesas fundamental socialization mechanisms. The estimated cultural intolerance of Italianstowards immigrant minorities is also substantial. Turning to long-run simulations,we nd that cultural intolerances, as well as fertility and homogamy rates, slow-downthe cultural integration of some immigrant ethnic minorities, especially Latin America,East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Nonetheless, 75% of immigrants integrate intothe majoritarian culture over the period of a generation. Interestingly, we show bycounterfactual analysis that a lower cultural intolerance of Italians towards minoritieswould lead to slower cultural integration by allowing immigrants a more widespreaduse of their own language rather than Italian in heterogamous marriages. Finally, wequantitatively assess the effects of large future immigration inflows.
Keywords: intermarriage; marital matching; cultural transmission; integration
JEL Codes: D1; J12; J13; J15
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| marital selection and fertility choices (J12) | cultural integration of immigrants (F22) |
| parental cultural preferences (J13) | children's socialization outcomes (I24) |
| cultural intolerance of Italians (N93) | integration of immigrant minorities (J15) |
| lower cultural intolerance (Z18) | integration of immigrant minorities (J15) |
| immigration rates (J11) | cultural integration trajectories (F15) |