Publications

This paper examines the evolution and determinants of migrant self-selection by gender during the age of mass migration. Using newly digitised district-level data on emigration from Portugal, we construct a literacy-based self-selection index and document three stylized facts: (i) average self-selection was positive throughout 1885-1930; (ii) men were more positively self-selected than women during 1885-1915 but similarly thereafter; (iii) aggregate self-selection measures mask substantial variation across districts and time.  Our econometric analysis shows that self-selection was negatively associated with both the size of migrant flows and the share of migrants going to Brazil, while emigration to Africa was related to a more positive selection. The decreasing importance of flows to Brazil in favor of Europe after 1915 may partly explain the vanishing of differences in self-selection between men and women.


Working Papers


(R&R  (2nd round) Journal of the European Economic Association)

This paper examines the short and long-run effects of emigration on human capital accumulation at origin. I focus on the Galician diaspora, one of the largest emigration episodes of the 20th century in Europe. I construct a database of all municipalities combining newly-digitized historical data with contemporary census and survey data, and exploit variation in pioneering emigration and a pull factor for identification. I find that while emigration depressed literacy rates at origin in the short run, its impact became positive after one decade and led to gains in human capital that persist one hundred years later. I explore several channels and provide evidence of two novel mechanisms through which emigration can raise human capital in the long run. Galician migrants funded associations that financed the construction of schools in their hometowns and diffused norms conducive to a persistent change in beliefs about the value of education.


Few things are as powerful as sports when it comes to driving emotions. This paper examines whether the emotional trigger of sports can entail political consequences, looking at the impact of Football Club Barcelona (FCB) in Catalonia.  I find that FCB performance has a strong temporary effect on Catalan identification, preferences for secession, and political outcomes. FCB titles at the end of the season increase Catalan identification and support for regional self-determination by around 11%.  The performance in a match has a short-lived effect only in the case of a defeat, leading to a decline in strong Catalan identification by 12% and support for independence by 15% which only lasts for one day. Finally, I find that a defeat the day before an election leads to lower support for political parties aligning more strongly with Catalan identity and self-determination. I provide suggestive evidence that these effects are driven by changes in euphoria, as FCB performance affects political and economic prospects, as well as changes in trust in politicians and the Spanish government.


Work in Progress



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