Description:

Ismaël Yacoubou Djima (Paris School of Economics) - Migration, Occupations Transmission, and Development: Evidence from Castes in Mali

Abstract: In this work, I document that, in Mali, social identity based on castes--historical, hierarchical social groups whose role is thought to have subsided- still relates to the current socio-economic outcomes of part of the population. Using individuals' last names, a marker of caste identity, I start by showing that it is possible to proxy for the castes of individuals in 8 rounds of living standards household surveys collected between 2014 and 2019. Then, focusing on internal migration, I provide evidence that individuals from castes of artisans and griots (bards) are less likely to migrate from rural to urban areas than the rest of the population. This lower migration rate appears to be related to the amenities provided by their castes' identities in rural areas. These amenities are linked to the current occupations for the artisan caste that is over-represented in professions of the artisanal type and whose members are more likely to pass on their occupations to their descendants. On the other hand, the griots' amenities come from the traditional role they play in social contexts (ceremonies, conflict resolution, etc.), allowing them to derive a higher share of their consumption from gifts than other groups.