The Effect of Weak Ties and Community of Origin on Migrant Job Search Technique

• In Event: 469 - Section on International Migration Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 09. Migrant Social Capital

Abstract

Access to social capital can determine the outcomes of a variety of life conditions. The goal of this project is to identify the mechanisms by which social capital can influence these outcomes in the form of how Mexican migrants obtain jobs. Granovetter (1974) suggests that weak ties are more beneficial than strong ties in connecting individuals to jobs, and thus, friendship ties may be more beneficial than familial ties. Using data from the Mexican Migration Project (MMP), I examine whether participation in social organizations and having a diverse racial network influences the likelihood that migrants will seek either familial or non-familial ties when seeking employment in the United States. Second, given that certain communities in Mexico have more extensive migration histories than others, and thus offer greater sources of social capital, I explore whether community of origin and geographic region affect the type of network ties a migrant will use to obtain employment.

Author

• Richard Hong, University of California-Los Angeles