Dissertation Research: Migrant Voluntary Associations and Belizean Transnationalism

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This project involves the dissertation research of an anthropology student from Indiana University, studying the role of voluntary organizations in the migration decision-making of immigrants from Belize to the US. The student's hypothesis is that migrant organizations facilitate transnational economic and social ties more than assimilation or the reinforcement of ethnic enclaves. The assumption is that Belizeans who are active participants in migrant organizations have at their disposal information and economic as well as cultural resources which influence their circulation patterns. The methodology involves traditional ethnography as well as formal surveys in Chicago and in Belize, the collection of life histories, in-depth interviews and participant observation at Belizean organizational and cultural activities. The research will take place in Belize City and Chicago. This research is important because it will advance our understanding of the motives and constraints of migrants in light of the actual social resources available to them. Given that migration and transnationalism are important features of contemporary social life, the knowledge this project will create will be a valuable addition for policy makers and planners as well as scholars.