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References for The brain drain from developing countries
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Further reading
- Acosta, P., Özden, C., Lebow, J., Rodriguez, L., and E. Dahlgren. Global Skill Partnerships for Migration: Preparing Tomorrow’s Workers for Home and Abroad. World Bank (2025).
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Docquier, F., Szymanska, A., and O. Faye. Development Cooperation, Skills and Migration: Embracing the World Development Report 2023 and Beyond. Crossing Borders Policy Brief 2023-10, LISER (2023).
- World Bank. Migrants, Refugees and Societies. World Development Report. World Bank: Washington DC, 2023.
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Key references
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Cha’ngom, N., Deuster, C., Docquier, F., and J. Machado. "Selective Migration and Economic Development: A Generalized Approach" International Economic Review 66:4 (2025): 1713–1732. Key reference: [1]
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Batista, C., Han, D., Haushofer, J., Khanna, G., McKenzie, D., Mobarak, A. M., Theoharides, C., and D. Yang. "Brain drain or brain gain? Effects of high-skilled international emigration on origin countries" Science 388 (2025) Key reference: [2]
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Bhagwati, J., and K. Hamada. "The brain drain, international integration of markets for professionals and unemployment: A theoretical analysis" Journal of Development Economics 1 (1974): 19–42. Key reference: [3]
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Mountford, A. "Can a Brain Drain Be Good for Growth in the Source Economy?" Journal of Development Economics 53:2 (1997): 287–303. Key reference: [4]
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Abarcar, P., and Theoharides, C. "Medical Worker Migration and Origin-Country Human Capital: Evidence from U.S. Visa Policy." Review of Economics and Statistics 106:1 (2024): 20–35. Key reference: [5]
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Shrestha, S. A. "No Man Left Behind: Effects of Emigration Prospects on Educational and Labour Outcomes of Non-Migrants." Economic Journal 127:600 (2017): 495–521. Key reference: [6]
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Bocquier, P., Cha'ngom, N., Docquier, F., and J. Machado. "The Within-Country Distribution of Brain Drain and Brain Gain Effects: A Case Study on Senegal." Journal of Demographic Economics 90:3 (2024): 384–411. Key reference: [7]
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Batista, C., Bohnet, L., Gazeaud, J., and Seither, J. From Destination to Origin: Experimental Evidence on the International Spillovers of Migration Integration. NOVAFRICA Working Paper 2503, (2026). Key reference: [8]
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Batista, C., Costa, D., Freitas, P., Lima, G., and A. B. Reis. "What Matters for the Decision to Study Abroad? A Lab-in-the-Field Experiment in Cape Verde." Journal of Development Economics 173 (2025): 103401. Key reference: [9]
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Mobarak, A. M., and M. I. Haque. Developing Scalable Pathways for International Migration: Harnessing 'Triple Wins' for Global Economic Progress. LISER Policy Brief 2024-07 (2024). Key reference: [10]
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Cha’ngom, N., Deuster, C., Docquier, F., and J. Machado. "Selective Migration and Economic Development: A Generalized Approach" International Economic Review 66:4 (2025): 1713–1732.
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Additional References
- Bahar, D., and H. Rapoport. "Migration, Knowledge Diffusion and the Comparative Advantage of Nations." Economic Journal 128:612 (2018): F273–F305.
- Barsbai, T., Rapoport, H., Steinmayr, A., and C. Trebesch. "The Effect of Labor Migration on the Diffusion of Democracy: Evidence from a Former Soviet Republic." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 9 (2017): 36–69.
- Batista, C., Lacuesta, A., and P.C. Vicente. "Testing the 'Brain Gain' Hypothesis: Micro Evidence from Cape Verde." Journal of Development Economics 97:1 (2012): 32–45.
- Batista, C., and P.C. Vicente. "Do Migrants Improve Governance at Home? Evidence from a Voting Experiment." The World Bank Economic Review 25:1 (2011): 77–104.
- Batista, C., Seither, J., and P.C. Vicente. "Do Migrant Social Networks Shape Political Attitudes and Behavior at Home?" World Development 117 (2019): 328–343.
- Beine, M., Docquier, F., and H. Rapoport. "Brain Drain and Human Capital Formation in Developing Countries: Winners and Losers." Economic Journal 118:528 (2008): 631–652.
- Chand, S., and M. A. Clemens. Skilled Emigration and Skill Creation: A Quasi-Experiment. Center for Global Development Working Papers 152, 2008.
- Clemens, M., and Tiongson, E. R. "Split Decisions: Household Finance When a Policy Discontinuity Allocates Overseas Work." Review of Economics and Statistics 99:3 (2017): 531–543.
- Dinkelman, T., and Mariotti, M. "The Long-Run Effects of Labor Migration on Human Capital Formation in Communities of Origin." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 8:4 (2016): 1–35.
- Docquier, F., and H. Rapoport. "Globalization, Brain Drain, and Development." Journal of Economic Literature 50:3 (2012): 681–730.
- Docquier, F., Lodigiani, E., Rapoport, H., and M. Schiff. "Emigration and Democracy." Journal of Development Economics 120 (2016): 209–223.
- Mass Emigration and Human Capital Over a Century: Evidence From the Galician Diaspora. Journal of the European Economic Association, forthcoming.
- Gibson, J., and D. McKenzie. "The Microeconomic Determinants of Emigration and Return Migration of the Best and Brightest: Evidence from the Pacific." Journal of Development Economics 95:1 (2011): 18–29.
- Godlonton, S., and C. Theoharides. "Diffusion of Reproductive Health Behavior through International Migration: Effects on Origin-Country Fertility." American Economic Review 115:10 (2025): 3597–3637.
- Khanna, G., and N. Morales. "The IT Boom and Other Unintended Consequences of Chasing the American Dream." Working Paper 460, Center for Global Development (2017).
- Mobarak, A. M., Sharif, I., and M. Shrestha. "Returns to International Migration: Evidence from a Bangladesh Malaysia Visa Lottery." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 15:4 (2023): 353–388.
- Parsons, C. R., and Vezina, P. "Migrant Networks and Trade: The Vietnamese Boat People as a Natural Experiment." Economic Journal 128:612 (2018): 210–234.
- Stark, O., Helmenstein, C., and A. Prskawetz. "A Brain Gain With a Brain Drain." Economics Letters 55:2 (1997): 227–234.
- Theoharides, C. "Manila to Malaysia, Quezon to Qatar: International Migration and Its Effects on Origin-Country Human Capital." Journal of Human Resources 53:4 (2018): 1022–1049.
- Theoharides, C. "The Unintended Consequences of Migration Policy on Origin-Country Labor Market Decisions." Journal of Development Economics 142 (2020): 102271.