Overview
My research focuses on how emigration affects political attitudes and behaviors in the home country. I study how emigration and remittances affect both those with family members abroad as well as those without family members abroad. My research examines these topics in Latin America with a particular focus on the Central American countries.
I am interested in how emigration and remittances could motivate or depress support for democracy. I am interested in understanding why a region like Central America, with high rates of emigration and high dependence on remittances, have struggled with democratic consolidation and experienced recent backsliding to authoritarianism. My research also engages with the relationship between migrant remittances and fiscal policies. I also do research on attitudes towards migrants and transit migrants in Latin America.
In collaboration with FLACSO-Honduras, we conducted a survey in October-November 2021 to analyze the effect of the migrant caravans and remittances on local political attitudes. This survey also asks Hondurans about transit migrants traveling through the country. A similar survey project was launched in El Salvador in August 2022 in collaboration with Universidad Francisco Gavidia.
Papers
"Do Remittances Contribute to Presidential Instability in Latin America? " (Accepted at Latin American Politics and Society)
"Migrant Remittances and Demand for Redistribution." Studies in Comparative International Development 55.4 (2020): 403-435.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12116-020-09309-2
"National Identity and Anti-Immigrant Sentiment: Experimental Evidence from Mexico" with Covadonga Meseguer. Migration Studies (2022). Link: https://doi.org/10.1093/migration/mnac024
"The mobilizing potential of mass migration: Experimental evidence from Honduras" with Francisca Castro (Under Review)
"Attitudes Towards Transit Migrants in an Emerging Transit Country: The Case of Honduras" with Mariah Guerrero (Under Review)
"Exit and Exodus: The Political Effects of Migrant Caravans"
"U.S. Latino Attitudes Towards Government, Policing, and Militarization in Latin America" with Angela X. Ocampo
"Pay to Stay or Pay to Leave: How Corruption Diverts Remittance Income for Future Migration"
"Remittances, Regime Type, and Social Spending in the Developing World" with Lauren Duquette-Rury
"Institutional Quality, Regime Type, and Emigration"
Projects in Progress
"Political Effects of Exodus in Central America"
"Remittances and Fiscal Policy Preferences in El Salvador and Honduras"
"Political Costs of Staying and Migration Selection"
Other Writings
Book Review. Migration and Democracy: How Remittances Undermine Dictatorships. By Abel Escribà-Folch, Covadonga Meseguer, and Joseph Wright. https://www.doi.org/10.1017/S1537592722002389
Op-Ed."El futuro del bitcóin en El Salvador lo definirá la diáspora" El Faro. July 30, 2021. (LINK)
My research focuses on how emigration affects political attitudes and behaviors in the home country. I study how emigration and remittances affect both those with family members abroad as well as those without family members abroad. My research examines these topics in Latin America with a particular focus on the Central American countries.
I am interested in how emigration and remittances could motivate or depress support for democracy. I am interested in understanding why a region like Central America, with high rates of emigration and high dependence on remittances, have struggled with democratic consolidation and experienced recent backsliding to authoritarianism. My research also engages with the relationship between migrant remittances and fiscal policies. I also do research on attitudes towards migrants and transit migrants in Latin America.
In collaboration with FLACSO-Honduras, we conducted a survey in October-November 2021 to analyze the effect of the migrant caravans and remittances on local political attitudes. This survey also asks Hondurans about transit migrants traveling through the country. A similar survey project was launched in El Salvador in August 2022 in collaboration with Universidad Francisco Gavidia.
Papers
"Do Remittances Contribute to Presidential Instability in Latin America? " (Accepted at Latin American Politics and Society)
"Migrant Remittances and Demand for Redistribution." Studies in Comparative International Development 55.4 (2020): 403-435.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12116-020-09309-2
"National Identity and Anti-Immigrant Sentiment: Experimental Evidence from Mexico" with Covadonga Meseguer. Migration Studies (2022). Link: https://doi.org/10.1093/migration/mnac024
"The mobilizing potential of mass migration: Experimental evidence from Honduras" with Francisca Castro (Under Review)
"Attitudes Towards Transit Migrants in an Emerging Transit Country: The Case of Honduras" with Mariah Guerrero (Under Review)
"Exit and Exodus: The Political Effects of Migrant Caravans"
"U.S. Latino Attitudes Towards Government, Policing, and Militarization in Latin America" with Angela X. Ocampo
"Pay to Stay or Pay to Leave: How Corruption Diverts Remittance Income for Future Migration"
"Remittances, Regime Type, and Social Spending in the Developing World" with Lauren Duquette-Rury
"Institutional Quality, Regime Type, and Emigration"
Projects in Progress
"Political Effects of Exodus in Central America"
"Remittances and Fiscal Policy Preferences in El Salvador and Honduras"
"Political Costs of Staying and Migration Selection"
Other Writings
Book Review. Migration and Democracy: How Remittances Undermine Dictatorships. By Abel Escribà-Folch, Covadonga Meseguer, and Joseph Wright. https://www.doi.org/10.1017/S1537592722002389
Op-Ed."El futuro del bitcóin en El Salvador lo definirá la diáspora" El Faro. July 30, 2021. (LINK)