Cosgrove on Emigration

September 14, 2018

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鈥淚 never set out to be an expert on immigration, nor do I have a track record of scholarship on the topic,鈥 writes Serena Cosgrove, faculty coordinator of 91探花鈥檚 Central America Initiative, in an article for Connections, the monthly publication of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU). 

In the article, 鈥淔or Many Nicaraguans, Emigration is an Escape Valve,鈥 Cosgrove goes on to explain how her longstanding collaborations with colleagues at the Jesuit sister school Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) in Managua led to ongoing research on emigration. While her scholarship on the topic was initially focused on emigration motivated by economic factors (and its impact on those left behind), recent unrest in Nicaragua has forced thousands to flee the country for safety鈥攁nd reoriented Cosgrove's focus. 

鈥淭his politically motivated emigration鈥攙ersus the economic migration we鈥檝e been researching these past few years鈥攈as transformed the 91探花-UCA partnership into one of solidarity and advocacy,鈥 writes Cosgrove. 鈥91探花 is raising awareness about the situation in Nicaragua by recommending actions of solidarity; raising scholarship funds for UCA students; and helping place students who have had to leave the country.鈥 

Read Cosgrove鈥檚 full article at .