Cosgrove on Emigration

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

In the article, “For Many Nicaraguans, Emigration is an Escape Valve,” 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—and reoriented Cosgrove's focus. 

“This politically motivated emigration—versus the economic migration we’ve been researching these past few years—has transformed the SU-UCA partnership into one of solidarity and advocacy,” writes Cosgrove. “SU 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.” 

Read Cosgrove’s full article at AJCU.