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Martin Dribe. Photo.

Martin Dribe

Professor, Centre director, Centre for Economic Demography

Martin Dribe. Photo.

Premium or penalty? Occupations and earnings of Ottoman immigrants and their offspring in the United States, 1900–1940

Author

  • Rami Zalfou
  • Martin Dribe

Summary, in English

We study the economic integration of immigrants from Ottoman Syria and Turkey and their offspring in the United States using full count census data from 1900 to 1940. Immigrants initially achieved occupational premiums due to their selection into high-reward industries, but 1940 earnings data reveals significant and growing disadvantages over time, partly due to lower educational attainment. In contrast, the second generation achieved substantial upward mobility, closing both the education and earnings gaps with native Whites. This contrasts with the experience of Northern European immigrants who matched natives more closely in terms of occupations and earnings.

Department/s

  • Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES)
  • MECW: The Middle East in the Contemporary World
  • Department of Economic History
  • Centre for Economic Demography

Publishing year

2025-05-01

Language

English

Pages

244-244

Publication/Series

European Review of Economic History

Volume

29

Issue

2

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Topic

  • Economic History

Status

Published

Project

  • Wallenberg Scholar (Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation)

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1474-0044