The Gravity Model of Forced Displacement Using Mobile Phone Data

Beine, Michel and Bertinelli, Luisito and Comertpay, Rana and Litina, Anastasia and Maystadt, Jean-Francois (2020) The Gravity Model of Forced Displacement Using Mobile Phone Data. Working Paper. Lancaster University, Department of Economics, Lancaster.

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Abstract

Based on geolocalized mobile phone calls data, we study the mobility of refugees in Turkey. We employ a gravity model to estimate the determinants of refugee movements across 26 regions in 2017. To benchmark our findings, we estimate the same model for the mobility of individuals with a non-refugee status. Beyond the standard determinants such as the levels of income at origin, at destination and distances across regions, we find that networks, provision of humanitarian aid and asylum grants are important determinants of refugee mobility. Our paper deepens our understanding on how forcibly displaced people may respond to economic, social and political factors in their location decision.