European University Institute Library

Streets of gold, America's untold story of immigrant success, Ran Abramitzky, Leah Boustan

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Streets of gold

bibliography

1267752437

Ran Abramitzky, Leah Boustan

America's untold story of immigrant success

"Through this authoritative account of the historical record and important new findings, Abramitzky and Boustan will help shape our thinking and policies about the fraught topic of immigration with findings such as: ·Where you come from doesn't matter. The children of immigrants from El Salvador, Mexico, and Guatemala today are as likely to be as successful as the children of immigrants from Great Britain and Norway 150 years ago. ·Children of immigrants do better economically than children of those born in the U.S. - a pattern that has held for more than a century. ·The children of immigrants from nearly every country, especially children of poor immigrants, are more upwardly mobile than the children of US-born residents. ·Immigrants today, especially those from groups accused of lack of assimilation (such as Mexicans and those from Muslim countries) actually assimilate fastest. ·Immigration changes the economy in unexpected positive ways and staves off the economic decline that is the consequence of an aging population. ·Closing the door to immigrants harms the economic prospects of the U.S. born, the people politicians are trying to protect. More, not less, immigration will spur the American economy. ·Severe restrictions on immigration reduces innovation by blocking entry to future scientists, artists, and entrepreneurs. Using powerful story-telling and unprecedented research employing big data and algorithms, Abramitzky and Boustan are like dedicated family genealogists but millions of times over. They provide a new take on American history with surprising results, especially how comparable the "golden era" of immigration is to today, and why many current policy proposals are so misguided"--, Provided by publisher

"I came here with 50 cents and that's it!" overturning America's immigration myths -- Fact checking the past, converting millions of immigrant stories into data -- A brief history of immigration to America -- Climbing the ladder, the rags-to-riches myth -- Background is not destiny, children of immigrants rise -- Becoming American -- Does immigrant success harm the US born? -- A second grand bargain, the long view of immigration policy -- Immigration policy in America: a brief timeline