De paisano a paisano: Mexican migrants and the transference of political attitudes to their country of origin

Abstract

Is there a link between immigration and democratization? Can immigrants transfer democratic values to their countries of origin? If so, what are the implications for the countries in question? This dissertation looks into the theoretical construct of social remittances and tests it empirically using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitatively speaking, this gets tested using survey and aggregate data. Qualitatively speaking, field work was carried out in a number of Mexican States. This work found that migrants do play a role in local politics through the transference of political attitudes. This includes, but is not limited to political participation, the incumbent party's fortunes, the governor's party's coalition's chances for reelection, the overall electoral competitiveness, and third party's share of the vote. This grassroots impact, however is tempered and constrained by the same dynamics that led individuals to migrate in the first place.