Impacts of Policy Reforms on Labor Migration From Rural Mexico to the United States

Using new survey data from Mexico, a dynamic econometric model is estimated to test the effect of policy changes on the flow of migrant labor from rural Mexico to the United States and test for differential effects of policy changes on male and female migration. We find that both IRCA and NAFTA reduced the share of rural Mexicans working in the United States. Increased U.S. border enforcement had the opposite effect. The impacts of these policy variables are small compared with those of macroeconomic variables. The influence of policy and macroeconomic variables is small compared with that of migration networks, as reflected in past migration by villagers to the United States. The effects of all of these variables on migration propensities differ, quantitatively and in some cases qualitatively, by gender.

Regional Growth Linkages between Villages and Towns in Mexico: A Village-wide Modeling Perspective

This paper measures linkages between farm and non-farm activities in rural Mexico using a multiplier model based on social accounting matrices (SAMs) from survey data for five villages at differing income levels and in different agro-ecological and market zones. We extend this analysis to a "mini-region" that includes three villages and their larger administrative center. By applying a constrained SAM multiplier model, the paper examines how economic shocks in rural areas affect non-farm incomes in rural villages, in neighboring rural towns and in larger regional cities. Two exogenous shocks on non-farm activity are examined: pure income transfers; and increased agricultural productivity. Experiments assume a perfectly inelastic supply of agricultural goods, as in "semi inputoutput" and "economic base" models. Results show that most farm-nonfarm diversification is between villages and regional urban centers. The largest linkages are with markets outside, rather than within, villages: an experimental $100 increase in exogenous income is linked with a$2 increase in non-farm production but a $51 increase in demand for imported goods. This is evidence of "agriculture-demand-ledindustrialization" and explains growth of regional urban centers, which now accounts for most of Mexico's urban growth. Our analysis highlights the complex economic interactions between villages and towns in what probably is a mutually beneficial relationship broadly consistent with comparative advantage. Results suggest that increasing the income of village households can stimulate growth of the rural non-farm commercial activity in towns and small cities. Comparisons across villages suggest that investments in rural infrastructure can facilitate these commercial linkages between villages and towns.Rural and Regional Economics, Development Economics, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Does Agricultural Liberalization Reduce Rural Welfare in Less Developed Countries? The Case of CAFTA

Conventional economic wisdom and findings from aggregate economy-wide models suggest that removing tariffs on agricultural imports is detrimental to rural welfare in less developed countries. This paper explores the rural welfare effects of own-country agricultural liberalization under CAFTA using a disaggregated rural economy-wide model that nests within it a series of micro agricultural household models. Our simulation findings suggest that CAFTA would reduce nominal incomes for nearly all rural household groups in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. However, compensating variations that take into account rural economy-wide adjustments to policy shocks are mostly negative, implying that current agricultural protection policies are disadvantageous for most rural household groups.International Relations/Trade,

Beyond the Brother: Radical Freedom

In his decision in Ferreira v Levin NO, Justice Ackermann - inspired by Berlin - appears to favour the negative conception of freedom. Yet at the same time Ackermann insists that 'a broad and generous interpretation of freedom does not deny or preclude the constitutionally valid, and indeed essential, role of state intervention in the economic as well as the civil and political spheres.

Negotiating the archive: Amnesty, justice and memory

This article represents an encounter between Antje Du Bois-Pedain's recent Transitional Amnesty in South Africa and Jacques Derrida's Archive Fever I argue that Du Bois-Pedain's work is magisterial in the sense that relates it to the meaning of the archive identified in Derrida's text. Taking the Derridean argument a step further I aim to illustrate that this text-as-archive reveals a glimpse of its own death drive - it is conscious of its unconscious. I argue that the death drive of the archive is here ultimately resisted/countered precisely by Du Bois-Pedain's willingness to confront the outside of the archive that is this work

Natural Resource Dependence in Rural Mexico

The relationship between poverty and natural resources is complex and the empirical evidence to date, mostly from studies of forest activities and poverty, is inconclusive. The main purpose of this paper is to empirically identify the effects of household characteristics and of inequality at the village level on natural resource extraction and dependence. To do so we use data from the Mexico National Rural Household Survey (ENHRUM). Our results show that in rural Mexico natural resource extraction is predominantly an activity carried out by poor households. The same is true for dependence. We also show that there are important differences across Mexico in terms of both participation and dependence on resource income. These differences are most evident when one compares the south and north of the country. We also show that when relatively rich households participate in resource extraction their natural resource income is considerably higher than that of the poor.Resource extraction, Dependence, Poverty, Mexico, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Environmental Economics and Policy, International Development,

IMPACTS OF POLICY REFORMS ON THE SUPPLY OF MEXICAN LABOR TO U.S. FARMS: NEW EVIDENCE FROM MEXICO

The availability of immigrant farmworkers from Mexico critically shapes fruit, vegetable, and horticultural (FVH) production in the United States. We test the impact of recent policy reforms on the supply of Mexican labor to U.S. farms, using a 2-way fixed effects model and new data from rural Mexico.Labor and Human Capital,

Consumer Buying Behavior at Shopping Malls: Does Gender Matter?

 The development of shopping malls is a major social and global phenomenon that has unearthed a novel facet for customer satisfaction and their consequent or relative buying behavior. The aim of his paper was to explore the gender differences in consumer buying behavior at selected Durban shopping malls. It is an observational cross-sectional study carried out on 700 randomly selected respondents to study buying capacity, buying behavior and shopping experience of male and female consumers at shopping malls in the city of Durban, South Africa. Data was collected through pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire with closed ended questions. The study revealed that there are notable gender differences, which shape shopping behavior among men and women. Time and money spent at the mall was significantly high among female as compared to male consumers. Consequently, the results attributed that personal attributes and shopping mall attractiveness factors played a crucial role in influencing customer shopping behavior amongst the mall shoppers. The study concludes that gender differences are prevalent in the buying behavior of customers at the select shopping malls in Durban, South Africa. Average time spent by female is high as compared to male which also affect their average money spent at shopping mall. Psychological, Social and Cultural factors are highly influencing customers’ buying behavior at shopping malls.&nbsp

Cardiogenic shock – a look at acute functional mitral incompetence

A 44-year-old man presented with cardiogenic shock secondary to acute functional mitral incompetence as well as septic shock related to pneumonia. The patient  deteriorated haemodynamically despite adequate medical therapy. An echocardiogram revealed a massive mitral incompetence and an ejection fraction of 32%. An intra-aortic balloon pump was placed and the patient improved dramatically. On day 6 after admission the echocardiogram was repeated, revealing a mild mitral incompetence and an ejection fraction of 58%