Abstract/Details

MEXICAN MIGRANTS IN THE UNITED STATES LABOR MARKET: A STUDY OF MIGRANTS' OCCUPATIONAL MOBILITY

MULLAN, BRENDAN PATRICK.   University of Pennsylvania ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  1986. 8624015.

Abstract (summary)

This dissertation describes, analyzes, and explains social mobility among Mexican migrants to the United States. Social mobility is assessed through changes in occupations and in occupational status both between Mexico and the U.S., and within the United States labor market.

The underlying theory is a blending of two complementary schools of thought: the conventional human capital model of migration, and a more sociological network model. The human capital model sees migration as an act of self-improvement with success measured in terms of occupational achievement. The network model places less importance on the direct impact of socioeconomic variables and emphasizes the social aspects of migration as determinants of socio-occupational success.

Hypotheses derived from this underlying theory are tested using recently collected survey data from four Mexican sending communities. Log-linear mobility table analysis of occupational distributions between Mexico and the U.S., and within the United States labor market, show the major barriers to upward mobility to be between the skilled and service occupations and between the unskilled and agricultural sectors. Those at the bottom of the occupational hierarchy agricultural laborers, may, after cumulating considerable experience in the U.S., manage to climb to the unskilled sector but further upward movement is exceptionally difficult and most unusual.

There is a distinct trend in the pattern of occupational prestige scores over the portion of the lifetime spent in the United States. Those migrants who have amassed significant experience in the U.S. relatively early in their lives (mid 20's to mid 30's) attain higher occupational status than migrants hampered by a late arrival to the U.S.

Migrants with access to a range of social network contacts generally score higher in occupational prestige than their counterparts with no such access. Not only are personal Mexican ties important for upward mobility, so also are personal U.S. ties, institutional U.S. contacts, and institutional Mexican affiliations.

Indexing (details)


Subject
Demographics;
Demography
Classification
0938: Demography
Identifier / keyword
Social sciences
Title
MEXICAN MIGRANTS IN THE UNITED STATES LABOR MARKET: A STUDY OF MIGRANTS' OCCUPATIONAL MOBILITY
Author
MULLAN, BRENDAN PATRICK
Number of pages
226
Degree date
1986
School code
0175
Source
DAI-A 47/07, Dissertation Abstracts International
Place of publication
Ann Arbor
Country of publication
United States
ISBN
979-8-206-43683-9
University/institution
University of Pennsylvania
University location
United States -- Pennsylvania
Degree
Ph.D.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
8624015
ProQuest document ID
303493891
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/docview/303493891