Title

The Causes and Consequences of Refugee Flows: A Contemporary Re-Analysis

Author(s)

Andrew Shaver Andrew Shaver (University of California, Merced)

Benjamin Krick Benjamin Krick (Political Violence Lab)

Judy Blancaflor Judy Blancaflor (Political Violence Lab)

Sarah Yein Ku Sarah Ku (Political Violence Lab)

Xavier Liu Xavier Liu (Political Violence Lab)

Abstract

The world faces a forcible displacement crisis. Across the world, tens of millions of individuals have been forced from their homes and across international boundaries. The causes and consequences of refugee flows are, therefore, the subjects of significant social science inquiry. Unfortunately, historical lack of reliable data on actual refugee flows has significantly limited empirical inferences on these topics. Using data newly released by the United Nations on annual dyadic flows, we replicate twenty-seven studies published in economics and political science journals on the causes and consequences of these flows. We extend fourteen of these. We find that some of the causes of flows described in the literature are less substantively and/or statistically significant than previously reported while others are more. Generally, with some exceptions, we find that previously reported effects of refugees on security conditions are attenuated, suggesting that the literature’s predominant focus on refugees as sources of violent instability may be overstated.

Creation Date

2022-04

Section URL ID

Paper Number

29

URL

https://esoc.princeton.edu/WP29

File Function

Jel

D74; F22; H56

Keyword(s)

Refugees; Asylum Seekers; Terrorism; Civil War

Suppress

false

Series

12