By Sydney Garman

Abstract: ow does the strength of social networks influence the timing of migration decisions? This paper argues that the timing of migration is significantly shaped by the strength of a migrant’s social network. Drawing on a vignette survey experiment that examines individuals who migrated during key election years—from Mexico to the United States and from Turkey to Germany—I expect to find that migrants embedded in stronger social networks relocated more quickly, as they possessed greater social capital in the form of resources and information. These findings offer important implications for migration literature, particularly in understanding how social capital accelerates migratory responses to political events. By emphasizing when people migrate, not just where, this paper shifts the focus from individual decision-making to the collective, network-based dynamics that influence the timing and coordination of migration.