Claudia Der-Martirosian

Der-Martirosian defines immigrants' economic embeddedness in terms of the extent to which they utilize kinship and co-ethnic ties to receive and give economic help. In 1978-1979, immediately after the Iranian Revolution, Iranians began settling in Los Angeles in large numbers. Der-Martirosian focuses on the economic integration of Iranian male immigrant heads of households in Los Angeles (1987-88) and examines the role of network ties during initial and settled phases. For the four economic outcome measures - length of time spent looking for first employment, shift in occupational status, income, and self-employment - significant network effects were found net of all other relevant variables. The social capital embedded in kinship and co-ethnic ties, significantly affected Iranian immigrants' economic experience in Los Angeles.