Temporary Migration and Local Collective Action: Evidence from Senegal

• In Event: Human and Military Security Issues in Developing Countries

Abstract

How does individual mobility affect collective action? Existing literature presents pessimistic accounts of the influence of migration on cooperative behavior; in-migration can increase group heterogeneity with consequences for social trust and cohesion and out-migration can result in the loss of individuals who previously contributed to collective structures. A focus on permanent exit and entry, however, understates the fact these migration types often occur alongside other forms of mobility. This paper examines the influence of temporary migration---a widespread demographic phenomenon in the Global South---on collective behavior in origin communities. It first employs a survey experiment with 4,400 respondents from rural Senegal and shows that temporary migrants are on average perceived to contribute to village-level collective structures at higher rates than non-migrants. These differences operate primarily through perceptions of migrants’ higher incomes. Second, in-depth interviews with 145 Senegalese village chiefs suggest that chiefs who are installed via democratic rather than hereditary processes are more likely to incorporate migrants into village-level governance. Together, these findings suggest that while temporary migration may equip individuals with resources that facilitate collective action, local political institutions can moderate the degree to which these resources are deployed.

Author

• Zara Riaz, Columbia University