In this paper we investigate the causal effect of immigration on trade flows, using Italian panel data covering very small geographical units (NUTS-3). Exploiting the very favorable setup offered by Italy's features - the very high number of countries of origin of immigrants ('super-diversity'),...

We show that economic development is associated with lower trade costs by applying a gravity equation to exports from 103 Italian provinces to 188 countries over the period 1995-2004. Italian provinces are heterogeneous with respect to trade costs

During the recent global recession both the export-oriented northern Italian regions and those in the far less open South experienced a sharp decline in economic activity. One of the possible explanations is the existence of strong domestic linkages propagating foreign demand shocks from North...