Migration and the production of poverty: The refugee camps in Jordan

This study examines the link between poverty and migration into and out of camps, using recent (1999) household survey data on the refugee camp populations in Jordan and a binomial logistic regression. The findings show a clear clustering of poverty in the camps, where about a third of households are poor. Results from several nested regression models show that in-migration is not the cause of persistent poverty in the camps. On the other hand, human capital variables, especially education, economic activity and 'social inheritance,' as well as demographic factors such as household headship and dependency rate have significant effects on poverty incidence. Some theoretical and policy implications of the findings are discussed.