Determinants of Migration to Central Cities: A Comment

Cebula, Richard and Curran, Christopher (1973): Determinants of Migration to Central Cities: A Comment. Published in: Journal of Regional Science , Vol. 14, No. 2 (19 August 1974): pp. 287-290.

Abstract

This study critiques a prior study of migration determinants according to race, i.e., white migration versus nonwhite migration, to central cities in the U.S. We find evidence strongly suggesting simultaneity bias. In addition, the specification in the article being evaluated is flawed because it assumes that white migrants are attracted to central cities with higher income rather than higher incomes for whites. Similarly, the study being examined by this Comment is flawed because it assumes nonwhites are attracted not to areas with higher nonwhite incomes but with higher overall incomes. Furthermore, this Comment finds specification errors in the failure to adopt race-specific unemployment rates.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: migration to central cities; labor markets; welfare policy
• Subjects: H - Public Economics > H2 - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue > H24 - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies; H - Public Economics > H3 - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents > H31 - Household; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J3 - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs > J31 - Wage Level and Structure ; Wage Differentials; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J6 - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers > J61 - Geographic Labor Mobility ; Immigrant Workers

References

[1] Kohn, R., R.K. Vedder, and R.J. Cebula. "Determinants of Interstate Migration, By Race, 1965-1970," Annals of Regional Science, 7(1973), 100-112.

[2] Muth, R.F. "Migration: Chicken or Egg," Southern Economic Journal, 37(1971), 295-306.

[3] Pack, J.R. "Determinants of Migration to Central Cities," Journal of Regional Science, 13(1973), 249-260.

[4] Sahota, G.S. "An Economic Analysis of Internal Migration in Brazil," Journal of Po­litical Economy, 76(1968), 218-245.