An Identity-Based Matching Theory Approach to Integration

Abstract

This paper aims to explain immigration and integration behavior in complex economic system using a framework that emphasizes social identity mechanisms. Immigration concerns individuals’ move from one society to another. Integration concerns the evolution of migrants’ identities and of consequent behaviors in the matching processes between immigrants and social groups in host countries. I suggest that we switch the basis for motivation to form matching from price to social identities and explain migrants’ interactions in host countries in individual-to-group types of interactions rather than the individual-to-individual types of interactions that standard approach employs. Thus, I propose a shift from an isolated individual economic approach through the market mechanism to an identity-based matching theory approach to integration.