Social fractionalization, inequalities and brain drain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26485/SPE/2026/139/6Keywords:
fractionalization, inequality, brain drainAbstract
Background: Brain drain refers to the large-scale emigration of highly skilled professionals from developing countries to wealthier nations in search of better opportunities. In Africa, this outflow of doctors, engineers, and academics weakens institutional capacity and reinforces existing social and economic inequalities.
Research purpose: The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between social fractionalization, inequalities and brain drain in African countries.
Methods: The advanced Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQREG) estimation technique was employed. The research sample includes 47 African countries and covers the period between 2007 and 2023. The baseline model includes three independent variables. Two of them: The Factionalized Elite and The Group Grievance refer to the area of social fractionalization, and the third one: The Uneven Economic Development indicator refers to the area of inequalities.
Conclusions: The results suggest that inequality has stable and positive impact on brain drain. The influence of the indicator of factionalized elite is positive and significant on the beginning but becomes weaker and insignificant in higher quantiles. In case of The Group Grievance the tendency is opposite.
JEL classification: C31, D62, J24
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