Dissertation
Back to the Homeland?: The Politics of Precarious Return Migration in Mexico 

The return migration of noncitizens to their countries of birth has become more visible over the last few decades. Economic recessions and the rise of anti-immigrant laws in the global North are the main drivers that have led to the flow of what I conceptualize as precarious returns. The former and the latter factors have left many families with limited options but to return to their country of origin, while millions have been forced to return as a result of deportation. Given that return migration has been driven by economic and legal conditions in destination countries, how do countries of origin manage the precarious returns of their citizens?

 

A puzzling outcome is that countries of origin have adopted different approaches over time for managing precarious returns, even though the conditions of such returns have been similar. Over time, however, individuals and families that return continue to experience challenges from delayed processes for accessing identity documents and access to social rights. The core question my dissertation explores is what explains policy variation over time, and what have been the impacts of such variation? I explore these questions through the Mexican case and use mixed qualitative methods to address my research question, including archival research, elite interviewing, and participant observation. 

 

If you would like to learn more about my dissertation and the data, feel free to contact me.