The social networks of British and Indian expatriate scientists in Boston

Abstract

This paper argues that although the social networks of highly skilled migrants are important, British and Indian scientists in Boston tend not to use expatriate social networks. I demonstrate that wider differences in cultural norms to the indigenous population, homogeneity within a migrant group and length of time spent in the US are not the only factors that affect the participation of highly skilled migrants in expatriate social networks. Other factors such as the size of an expatriate group, the annual flow of migrants to a region as well as the propensity of expatriates to participate in indigenous social networks will also affect the extent to which they participate in these networks.