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Econ 8262: Topics in Urban and Regional Economics Instructor: Michael J. Greenwood Office: Economics 208A Office hours: Monday 2 :00-4:00; Wednesday 2:00-4:00

Spring Semester, 1998

Although the title to this course does not carry the word "seminar," this is a seminar.

Thus, "Seminar'' and "Topics in Urban and Regional Economics" are the two key terms in this

course. The dictionary defines "seminar'' as "a small group of advanced students in a college or

graduate school engaged in original research under the guidance of a professor who meets

regularly with them for reports and discussions." Some professors treat seminars as lecture

classes, but that is not the intent of a seminar. This semester, I wish us to enjoy a real seminar. In

the above definition, I want to place special emphasis on the term "original research." I expect

each student to develop an original research topic. For my part, I will work with you and help

you mold your topic into a paper that is publishable or is potentially publishable. During past

years, some papers that were begun in this seminar have resulted in very nice publications. That

is our goal.

"Topics in Urban and Regional Economics" means that about any topic relevant to urban

and regional economics is acceptable. Each of you is free to choose his or her own topic. My

own topic will be "migration," or if you like, "the economics of migration." While you are

developing your own ideas and getting your research off of the ground, I will lecture regarding

various topics on migration, and I also will present my own ( and my collaborators) original

research. I want to help "prime" you for your own topic.

Good seminars require participation and discussion by the students. Thus, I want each of

you to feel free to question or comment at anytime. Each student will make two presentations.

At the end of the term, I have reserved a class period for each of you to present your paper. To

keep us occupied for an hour to an hour and a quarter requires the preparation of a lot of

material. Please keep that in mind. Your second presentation (actually your first) will be a paper

from the literature that is relevant to your research topic. At this time you also should discuss

your research topic and relate it to the paper you present. One week before your presentation, we

will distribute this paper to the others in the seminar, who are expected to read it and be prepared

to ask questions concerning it. As to the presentation itself, it should be a thorough discussion

and critique of the paper you have chosen to present.

By January 27, I would like a short (not to exceed 5 pages) proposal regarding your

research topic. I realize that this is very soon, but to complete a demanding project requires the

entire term. If you do not begin until March 1, you will not have time to complete your project. I

am happy to speak with you privately about your topic and help you decided what you would like

to do.

Your grade will be based on the quality and originality of your research, your research

presentation, your paper presentation/critique, and your class participation. The following weight

will be given to each element:

1. Research paper

2. Research presentation

3. Paper presentation/critique

4. Class participation

TOTAL:

50 points

15 points

25 points

10 points

100 points

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Schedule

Tuesday Thursday

January 13 Lecture 15 Lecture

20 Lecture 22 Lecture

27 Lecture 29 Lecture

February 3 Lecture 5 Lecture

10 Lecture 12 Lecture

24 Presentation 26 Presentation

March 3 Presentation 5 Presentation

10 Presentation 12 Presentation

17 Presentation 19 Lecture

31 Lecture

April 2 Lecture

7 Lecture 9 Presentation

14 Presentation 16 Presentation

21 Presentation 23 Presentation

27 Presentation 29 Presentation

General Migration References: Internal Migration

1. Greenwood, Michael J., "Internal Migration in Developed Countries," in M.R. Rosenzweig

and 0. Stark (editors), Handbook of Population and Family Economics (Amsterdam: .

Elsevier, 1997), 64 7-720.

2. Lucas, Robert E.B., "Internal Migration in Developing Countries," in M.R. Rosenzweig and

0. Stark (editors), Handbook of Population and Family Economics (Amsterdam:

Elsevier, 1997), 721-798.

3. Greenwood, Michael J., "Human Migration: Theory, Models, and Empirical Studies," Journal

of Regional Science 25(4), November 1985, 521-544.

4 . Yap, Lorene Y.L. , "The Attraction of Cities: A Review of the ·Migration Literature," Journal

of Development Economics 4(3), September 1977, 239-264.

5. Shaw, Paul, Migration Theory and Fact (Philadelphia: Regional Science Research Institute,

1975).

6. Greenwood, Michael J., "Research on Internal Migration in the United States: A Survey,"

Journal of Economic Literature 13(2), June 1975, 397-433.

Introduction

This section of the course involves background issues dealing with the definition and

measurement of migration (both internal and international), including a discussion of data sources

for the study of internal migration and international migration. We also will briefly consider

problems in the international comparison of internal migration propensities.

Assignment: Lecture notes and handouts.

For international comparisons, see Greenwood (1997)

PART I: Internal Migration

1. Demographic change in internal U.S. migration

This section treats the maturing of the baby boom and internal migration in the United

States.

Assignment: Lecture notes and handouts.

Greenwood (1988)

2. Theoretical approaches to migration

Several more or less distinct theoretical approaches to migration may be identified, such as

the gravity model, the human capital model, the random utility model, and the information/job­

search model. We will discuss these.

Assignment: Lecture notes and handouts

Greenwood (1997)

Molho (1986)

3. The determinants of U.S. internal migration

Assignment: Greenwood (1975, 1985, 1997)

Greenwood and Hunt (1984, 1989)

Greenwood, Hunt, Rickman, and Treyz (1991)

PART II: U.S. Immigration

1. Background on U.S. immigration and U.S. immigration law

Assignment: Lecture notes and handouts

Greenwood and McDowell (1998), Chapters 2, 3

2. Determinants of U.S. immigration

a. Overview

Assignment: Greenwood and McDowell (1991)

b. Models of the volume and composition of U.S. immigration

1. sex composition

Assignment: Greenwood, McDowell, and Zahniser ( 1997)

ii. age composition

Assignment: Greenwood and McDowell (1998)

3. Consequences ofU.S. immigration

a. Overview/Channels of immigrant influence

Assignment: Greenwood ( 1994)

b. Empirical approaches to estimating immigration's impact on the U.S. economy

Assignment: Greenwood and Hunt (1995)

Greenwood and McDowell ( 1986)

c. The economic impacts of low-skill Mexican migration to the United States

Assignment: Davies, Greenwood, Hunt, Kohli, and Tienda (1998)

d. The assimilation of U.S. immigrants

Assignment: Chiswick (1978)

Borjas (1985, 1994)

e. The economic rewards to U.S. experience for migrants who return to Mexico

Assignment: Zahniser and Greenwood (1997)

Davies, P.S., M.J. Greenwood, G.L. Hunt, U. Kohli, and M. Tienda. 1998. "The U.S. Labor

Market Impacts of Low-Skill Migration from Mexico," unpublished manuscript.

Greenwood, M.J. and J.M. McDowell. 1998. The Source-Country, Age, and Skill Composition of

Legal US. Immigration (Kalamazoo: The W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment

Research, forthcoming).

Greenwood, M.J. and J.M. McDowell. 1998. "Social Programs in Source Countries and the Age

Composition of Legal U.S. Immigration," unpublished manuscript.

Greenwood, M.J. 1997. "Internal Migration in Developed Countries," in M.R. Rosenzweig and

0. Stark (editors), Handbook of Population and Family Economics, Volume lB

(Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1997), 647-720.

Greenwood, M.J., J.M. McDowell, and S.S. Zahniser. 1997. "The Sex Composition ofU.S.

Immigration," unpublished manuscript.

Lucas, Robert E.B., "Internal Migration in Developing Countries," in M.R. Rosenzweig and 0 .

Stark ( editors), Handbook of Population and Family Economics (Amsterdam: Elsevier,

1997), 721-798.

Zahniser, S.S. and M.J. Greenwood. 1997. "Transferability of Skills and the Economic Rewards

to U.S. Employment for Return Migrants in Mexico," unpublished manuscript.

Greenwood, M.J. and G.L. Hunt. 1995. "Economic Effects oflmmigrants on Native and Foreign­

Bom Workers: Complementarity, Substitutability, and Other Channels of Influence,"

Southern Economic Journal, April, 1076-1097.

Borjas, G.J. 1994. "The Economics oflmmigration," Journal of Economic Literature, December,

1667-1717.

Greenwood, M.J. 1994. "Potential Channels of Immigrant Influence on the Economy of the

Receiving Country," Papers in Regional Science, July, 211-240.

Greenwood, M.J., G.L. Hunt, D . Rickman, and G.I. Treyz. 1991. "Migration, Regional

Equilibrium, and the Estimation of Compensating Differentials," American Economic

Review, December, 1382-1390.

Greenwood, M.J. and J.M. McDowell. 1991. "Differential Economic Opportunity, Transferability

of Skills, and Immigration to the United States and Canada," Review of Economics and

Statistics, November, 612-623.

Greenwood, M.J. and G.L. Hunt. 1989. "Jobs Versus Amenities in the Analysis ofMetropolitan

Migration," Journal of Urban Economics, January, 1-16.

Greenwood, M.J. 1988. "Changing Patterns of Migration and Regional Economic Growth in the

U.S.: A Demographic Perspective," Growth and Change, Fall, 68-87.

Greenwood, M.J. and J.M. McDowell. 1986. "The Factor-Market Consequences ofU.S.

Immigration," Journal of Economic Literature, December, 173 8-1772.

Molho, I. 1986. "Theories of Migration: A Review," Scottish Journal of Political Economy,

November, 396-419.

Borjas, G.J. 1985. "Assimilation, Changes in Cohort Quality, and the Earnings of Immigrants,"

Journal of Labor Economics, October, 463-489.

Greenwood, M.J. 1985. "Human Migration: Theory, Models, and Empirical Studies," Journal of

Regional Science, November, 521-544.

Greenwood, M.J. and G.L. Hunt. 1984. "Migration and Interregional Employment Redistribution

in the United States," American Economic Review, December, 957-969.

Chiswick, B.R. 1978. "The Effect of Americanization on the Earnings of Foreign-Born Men,"

Journal of Political Economy, October, 897-921.

Yap, Lorene Y.L., "The Attraction of Cities: A Review of the Migration Literature," Journal of

Development Economics 4(3), September 1977, 239-264.

Greenwood, M.J. 1975. "Research on Internal Migration in the United States: A Survey," Journal

of Economic Literature, June, 397-433.

Shaw, Paul, Migration Theory and Fact (Philadelphia: Regional Science Research Institute,

1975).