The Effects of Network Composition and Community-Level Social Capital on Migrant Job-Search Techniques in the United States

Richard Hong, University of California, Los Angeles

Access to social capital can determine the outcomes of a variety of life conditions. The goal of this project is to explore how different forms of social capital can influence job-search techniques among Mexican migrants, and specifically, whether network composition and community-level social capital can affect who a migrant turns to in order to secure a job in the United States. Using data from the Mexican Migration Project (MMP), I examine whether participation in social clubs and having a diverse racial network influences the likelihood that migrants will seek either familial or non-familial ties when seeking employment in the United States. I measure community-level social capital in terms of migrant investment in local infrastructure projects, as well as community participation in holding patron saint festivals for returning migrants. This study also distinguishes between rural and urban migrants given the differences in which community-level social capital operates in these settings.