Kai Gehring

Group Size and Immigrant Integration

Kai Gehring, together with V. Fouka and M. Tabellini, has examined the hypothesis that the relative or absolute group size of migrant enclaves affects their integration in the host country. Using historical US census data from 1880 to 1930, the researchers examine various economic and social proxies of integration ranging from labour market outcomes, to inter-group marriage, name choices for children and volunteering for the military. They exploit county-group-year level variation, and rely on a shift-share instrument and push factors like climatic shocks and quotas for identification. Their county level analysis is augmented with newly digitised disaggregated data for selected counties, which allow them to also investigate the role of spatial segregation for immigrant integration.

Mr Gehring’s main research interests are in political economy, economic development and history, as well as in public economics. Recently he has investigated the relationship between resource distribution, group identities and political stability and conflict.

Kai Gehring works as a senior researcher at the University of Zurich, since 2018 funded by a four year Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) Ambizione Project. Before moving to Zurich, he completed his doctoral studies at the University of Goettingen and Heidelberg University under the supervision of Axel Dreher and Stephan Klasen. He participated in graduate courses and spent time during research stays at Harvard University, the University of Mannheim and at the University of Cambridge. His undergraduate studies were at the University of Mannheim and the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.