Citizenship

Projects

Effects of Citizenship on Immigrants’ Lives

We conducted multiple experimental and quasi-experimental studies examining the effects of citizenship on immigrants’ lives. These studies explore whether naturalization improves outcomes such as economic, social, psychological, or navigational integration.

Key Studies


Barriers to Naturalization

We investigated the barriers to naturalization that immigrants may face and explored strategies to overcome these challenges.

Key Studies


Discrimination in Citizenship Decisions

We examined who attains citizenship and the potential for discrimination in citizenship decisions.

Key Studies

References

Unpublished

  1. Working Paper
    Does Access to Citizenship Confer Socio-Economic Returns? Evidence from a Randomized Control Design
    Jens Hainmueller, Elisa Cascardi, Michael Hotard, Rey Koslowski, Duncan Lawrence, Vasil Yasenov, and David Laitin
    2024
    IZA Discussion Paper No. 16173

Journal Articles

  1. Science Advances.
    The effect of citizenship on the long-term earnings of marginalized immigrants: Quasi-experimental evidence from Switzerland
    Jens Hainmueller, Dominik Hangartner, and Daniel Ward
    Science Advances, 2019
  2. APRS
    Catalyst or crown: Does naturalization promote the long-term social integration of immigrants?
    Jens Hainmueller, Dominik Hangartner, and Giuseppe Pietrantuono
    American Political Science Review, 2017
  3. PNAS
    Naturalization fosters the long-term political integration of immigrants
    Jens Hainmueller, Dominik Hangartner, and Giuseppe Pietrantuono
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2015
  4. PNAS
    A randomized controlled design reveals barriers to citizenship for low-income immigrants
    Jens Hainmueller, Aubrey Westfall, Dominik Hackett, Michael Hotard, Luis Figueroa, Fernando Mendoza, and David D. Laitin
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2018
  5. Nat. Hum. Behav.
    A low-cost information nudge increases citizenship application rates among low-income immigrants
    Michael Hotard, Duncan Lawrence, David D. Laitin, and Jens Hainmueller
    Nature Human Behaviour, 2019
  6. PNAS
    Standardizing the fee-waiver application increased naturalization rates of low-income immigrants
    Victor Yasenov, Michael Hotard, Duncan Lawrence, Jens Hainmueller, and David D. Laitin
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2019
  7. APSR
    Who gets a Swiss passport? A natural experiment in immigrant discrimination
    Jens Hainmueller, and Dominik Hangartner
    American Political Science Review, 2013
  8. AJPS
    Does direct democracy hurt immigrant minorities? Evidence from naturalization decisions in Switzerland
    Jens Hainmueller, and Dominik Hangartner
    American Journal of Political Science, 2019
  9. PNAS
    Determinants of refugee naturalization in the United States
    Nadwa Mossaad, Jeremy Ferwerda, Duncan Lawrence, Jeremy M. Weinstein, and Jens Hainmueller
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2018