MOBI-TWIN project at the 70th Annual North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International

Our partner, University of Barcelona (AQR-IREA Research Group) represented the MOBI-TWIN project at the 70th Annual North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International, a meeting held in San Diego, California from 15 to 18 November 2023.

The North American Regional Science Council (NARSC) is an international Regional Science organization promoting the exchange of knowledge, theory and analysis of cities and regions around the world among members of the scientific community. The Spatial Econometrics Association (SEA) was also present at the event.

The presentation related to the MOBI-TWIN project was titled “Are Linguistic Policies a Barrier to Interregional Migration? A Case Study in Catalonia” and was created by Antonio di Paolo, Raúl Ramos, Sebastián Ritter, and Vicente Royuela. It examines the impact of Catalonia’s Linguistic Normalization Act of 1983 on migration flows. This research, part of the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme, uses the Synthetic Control Method with Lasso to analyse the policy’s effect on migrant inflows to Catalonia from other Spanish regions. The study finds evidence of a significant impact, particularly in the initial years and medium term, showing a decline in migrant entry to Catalonia. The results remain robust against various spatial alternatives, highlighting the influence of linguistic policies on interregional migration patterns.

Congratulations to the University of Barcelona for enhancing the visibility of the MOBI-TWIN project and its objectives.