Celene Bolaños Social Science
Gendering Migration: Haitian Experiences from Brazil to Mexico
The recent economic recession and political turmoil in Brazil has driven over half of Brazil’s Haitian migrant population northbound towards the United States. This wave of over 50,000 Haitians has been met by tightening immigration policies from both the United States and Mexico, making the journey more difficult and dangerous and transforming Mexico into a country of destination. This flow of Haitian refugees is overwhelmingly male, despite the fact that women account for nearly half of the global migrant and refugee population. I hypothesize that gender and race are fundamental in understanding migration, as they determine different opportunities, risks and vulnerabilities faced in transit and upon arrival. This research seeks to understand how gender, race and class intersect and shape every stage of the migration process.
