Immigration, Female Labour Supply and Local Cultural Norms.

This article examines how the large influx of East German migrants into West Germany following reunification influenced the local evolution of female labour supply and cultural norms among native West Germans. Exploiting the distinct gender norms between East Germans—who had higher maternal employment rates and more egalitarian views—and West Germans—who largely adhered to traditional breadwinner-housewife models—the study finds that native West German women increased their working hours within households in regions with higher East German inflows. The authors provide evidence that these changes are driven by slow-moving local cultural learning rather than immediate economic factors, supported by data on stated gender norms, friendship networks, intermarriage rates, and expansions in publicly funded child care infrastructure. The findings highlight that immigrants with different cultural norms can affect native behaviour both through direct social interactions and indirectly by influencing local public goods provision over time.