Publication

The authors of this working paper draw on the literature on migrant remittances and on philanthropy in general to identify possible motives for collective remittances. They test the empirical relevance of these motives using micro-level data from Eastern Europe. The results suggest a mix of motives including altruism, exchange, and concern about future membership rights in the community of origin. They also find that communities with a high degree of ethnic fragmentation and a wide dispersion of migrants across destination countries are less likely to receive collective remittances.