The Humanitarian Ecosystem: Examining the Role of Migrant Assistance in Quito, Ecuador
By Dani Douglas, under the supervision of Kim Wilson A team of researchers from The Fletcher School of Law and
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Central and South America
A Shared Universe (for Most): Ecosystems in Public Spaces and Migrant Livelihoods
By Madison Chapman, under the supervision of Kim Wilson Two young Colombian women sit next to a small iron pushcart
Read MoreParque La Carolina
A hub for work and play, Parque La Carolina acts as a microcosm of migrant and local dynamics in Quito,
Read MoreInnovation (Charlie, Josephina and Juan)
“Ratcheting-up” livelihoods through entrepreneurship and innovation allow migrants to get a foothold in their new home
Read MoreDiscrimination
Skin color blurs the line between migrant and local, and exposes underlying assumptions about class, ethnicity, and immigration status
Read MoreJose and Margarita
Self-help communities grow as Venezuelan migrants find solidarity and solace in friendship
Read MoreFormal vs. Informal
Registered and unregistered sellers in La Carolina compete for social and retail space in the park amidst growing inter-group tensions.
Read MoreIntegration in Different Family Structures
By Maria Teresa Nagel, under the supervision of Kim Wilson.
When it comes to migration, broad classifications are abundant. Refugees and migrants are often seen as a monolithic mass, which encourages policy makers to essentialize migration as they search for the single solution to this complex phenomenon. Nowhere is this truer than in Tijuana, Mexico, the location of our study. There and elsewhere, immigrants are thought to be driven by the same motivations, threatened by the same risks, and in need of the same remedies. In this essay, I aim to highlight some key differences in the experiences of Central American migrants in Tijuana, focusing on the impact family structure has on migrants’ experiences living in that city.
Learning to Live in Limbo
By Maria Teresa Nagel, under the supervision of Kim Wilson.
Starting in 2018, Central American migrants attempting to enter the United States have encountered a series of obstacles which have forced them to consider a longer stay in Tijuana, a circumstance which presents new and unanticipated challenges. This essay explores the new realities faced by Central American migrants, whose journeys were expected to end in the United States, but who have instead had their own odyssey truncated and paused indefinitely in Tijuana, Mexico.
Reflections on Conducting a Lean Research Field Study
By Sarah Carson, under the supervision of Kim Wilson.
Field research is a common and often powerful piece of post-graduate training in international affairs and development. But sending students to the field also comes with risks to both students and study participants. What happens when you send five students abroad to execute Lean Research on their own? What challenges might they encounter, and what innovative solutions could they develop? And what do they learn that could be applied to similar experiences in the future?