Does International Migration Affect Political Participation? Evidence from Multiple Data Sources across Mexican Municipalities, 1990–2013

Abstract

Does international migration affect political participation in origin countries? We study how different channels of international migration — migrant absence, return, circularity, and transnational engagement — affected political participation across Mexican municipalities between 1990 and 2013. Using two different data sources including panel and longitudinal survey data, we find that generally, international migration has a positive effect on formal political participation in local elections. Results, however, are mixed across specific migratory channels, and the effects are conditional on levels of civic engagement. The study shows that specifying different channels of international migration is key to understanding the conditions under which emigration enhances political and civic participation in the local democratic process in origin countries.