ABSTRACT International migration yields pervasive cross-border social engagements, yet homeland p... more ABSTRACT International migration yields pervasive cross-border social engagements, yet homeland political involvements are modest to minimal. This contrast reflects the ways in which the distinctive characteristics of expatriate political life impede participation in the polity that emigrants have left behind. As polities are bounded, moving to the territory of a different state yields political detachment: diminishing awareness of home country political matters and weakened ties to the home state’s electoral institutions. To assess this argument, we use a representative survey of the Mexican-born population in the United States to analyze two critical conditions for participation in expatriate elections: emigrants’ ability to demonstrate eligibility to vote and their knowledge about voting procedures. We find clear signs of detachment. Most Mexican emigrants are not in a position to participate in homeland politics. Social ties, while pervasive, are associated with more knowledge only for the very small segment of the most engaged.
One in five U.S. residents under the age of 18 has at least one foreign-born
parent. Given the l... more One in five U.S. residents under the age of 18 has at least one foreign-born
parent. Given the large proportion of immigrants with very low levels of schooling, the
strength of the intergenerational transmission of education between immigrant parent
and child has important repercussions for the future of social stratification in the United
States. We find that the educational transmission process between parent and child is
much weaker in immigrant families than in native families and, among immigrants,
differs significantly across national origins. We demonstrate how this variation causes a
substantial overestimation of the importance of parental education in immigrant fam-
ilies in studies that use aggregate data. We also show that the common practice of
“
controlling
”
for family human capital using parental years of schooling is
problematic when comparing families from different origin countries and espe-
cially when comparing native and immigr
ant families. We link these findings to
analytical and empirical distinctions be
tween group- and individual-level pro-
cesses in intergenerational transmission.
ABSTRACT International migration yields pervasive cross-border social engagements, yet homeland p... more ABSTRACT International migration yields pervasive cross-border social engagements, yet homeland political involvements are modest to minimal. This contrast reflects the ways in which the distinctive characteristics of expatriate political life impede participation in the polity that emigrants have left behind. As polities are bounded, moving to the territory of a different state yields political detachment: diminishing awareness of home country political matters and weakened ties to the home state’s electoral institutions. To assess this argument, we use a representative survey of the Mexican-born population in the United States to analyze two critical conditions for participation in expatriate elections: emigrants’ ability to demonstrate eligibility to vote and their knowledge about voting procedures. We find clear signs of detachment. Most Mexican emigrants are not in a position to participate in homeland politics. Social ties, while pervasive, are associated with more knowledge only for the very small segment of the most engaged.
One in five U.S. residents under the age of 18 has at least one foreign-born
parent. Given the l... more One in five U.S. residents under the age of 18 has at least one foreign-born
parent. Given the large proportion of immigrants with very low levels of schooling, the
strength of the intergenerational transmission of education between immigrant parent
and child has important repercussions for the future of social stratification in the United
States. We find that the educational transmission process between parent and child is
much weaker in immigrant families than in native families and, among immigrants,
differs significantly across national origins. We demonstrate how this variation causes a
substantial overestimation of the importance of parental education in immigrant fam-
ilies in studies that use aggregate data. We also show that the common practice of
“
controlling
”
for family human capital using parental years of schooling is
problematic when comparing families from different origin countries and espe-
cially when comparing native and immigr
ant families. We link these findings to
analytical and empirical distinctions be
tween group- and individual-level pro-
cesses in intergenerational transmission.
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Papers by Thomas Soehl
parent. Given the large proportion of immigrants with very low levels of schooling, the
strength of the intergenerational transmission of education between immigrant parent
and child has important repercussions for the future of social stratification in the United
States. We find that the educational transmission process between parent and child is
much weaker in immigrant families than in native families and, among immigrants,
differs significantly across national origins. We demonstrate how this variation causes a
substantial overestimation of the importance of parental education in immigrant fam-
ilies in studies that use aggregate data. We also show that the common practice of
“
controlling
”
for family human capital using parental years of schooling is
problematic when comparing families from different origin countries and espe-
cially when comparing native and immigr
ant families. We link these findings to
analytical and empirical distinctions be
tween group- and individual-level pro-
cesses in intergenerational transmission.
parent. Given the large proportion of immigrants with very low levels of schooling, the
strength of the intergenerational transmission of education between immigrant parent
and child has important repercussions for the future of social stratification in the United
States. We find that the educational transmission process between parent and child is
much weaker in immigrant families than in native families and, among immigrants,
differs significantly across national origins. We demonstrate how this variation causes a
substantial overestimation of the importance of parental education in immigrant fam-
ilies in studies that use aggregate data. We also show that the common practice of
“
controlling
”
for family human capital using parental years of schooling is
problematic when comparing families from different origin countries and espe-
cially when comparing native and immigr
ant families. We link these findings to
analytical and empirical distinctions be
tween group- and individual-level pro-
cesses in intergenerational transmission.