Why Birthright Citizenship Matters for Immigrant Children: Short- and Long-Run Impacts on Educational Integration

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Labor Economics
Year: 2020
Volume: 38
Issue: 1
Pages: 143 - 182

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper examines whether the introduction of birthright citizenship in Germany affected immigrant children’s educational outcomes at the first three stages of the education system: preschool, primary school, and secondary school. Using a birth date cutoff as a source of exogenous variation, we find that the policy (i) increased immigrant children’s participation in noncompulsory preschool education, (ii) had positive effects on key developmental outcomes measured at the end of the preschool period, (iii) caused immigrant children to progress faster through primary school, and (iv) increased the likelihood of them attending the academic track of secondary school.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jlabec:doi:10.1086/704570
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25