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Abstract
This dissertation delves into the socio-economic impact of migration in Mongolia and Mexico, focusing on urbanization and demographic shifts. The first two chapters assess Mongolia’s urbanization, examining the environmental degradation from informal settlements and human capital accumulation influenced by in-migration. The environmental implications of these slum areas are explored via a unique demographic dataset, synthesized using a deep learning model and high-resolution satellite imagery. In parallel, the impact of in-migration on local students’ education is investigated, analyzing the balance between the crowd-out and crowd-in effects in education and labor markets. The focus then shifts to international migration’s effects on children’s welfare in Mexico’s agricultural households. This study probes the correlation between cash transfers, children’s health, and migration decisions, aiming to address the heterogeneity between cash transfer beneficiaries and non-beneficiary’s households. Conclusively, the dissertation underscores the correlation between the density of Mongolia’s ‘ger’ settlements and pollution levels, providing insights into urbanization’s environmental impact. It reveals the nuanced relationship between in-migration and educational investment in Mongolia’s youth, suggesting higher immigration rates generally enhance human capital development. The final chapter elucidates the intricate interplay of migration, cash transfer programs, and children's nutritional status in rural Mexico. Overall, this research highlights the complex environmental and socio-economic effects of migration, offering invaluable insights for future policy development and research. It employs unconventional datasets and computational methodologies, paving the way for future explorations of migration in developing nations.