Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM: Room 165 [D1]

Manipulation of Latin American Labor and Migration in the Era of Globalization

Presenter: Adriana Raye Smith

Faculty Sponsor: Deepika Marya

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Political Science and Government

ABSTRACT

It would be fair to say, at the hands of the United States and other global powers, neoliberalism  has infiltrated almost every corner of the world. While globalization imposes a wide array of harmful effects, I will be focusing specifically on the devastation created by neoliberal policies in Latin America. As the world’s most powerful nation, the U.S. has played a consequential role in the adoption of structural adjustment policies in Latin America that have resulted in displacing many, either by turning them into refugees within their country or across borders. Examining case studies from Chile and Colombia will allow me to highlight the disruption to entire economic sectors caused by neoliberal reforms and the labor displacement that follows. Similarly, in covering NAFTA and CAFTA, I can illustrate the broad harm they have exacted on working-class people. Each section will include a description of specific data regarding displacement that results from the implementation of neoliberal policies. Finally, I will wrap up by addressing how U.S. immigration control has become more violent in the era of globalization, an issue very relevant to Latin American migrants who have been forced from their homes in pursuit of economic opportunity and survival. Anti-immigrant sentiments have reached high levels in many of the world's most influential countries, making it increasingly important to understand the roots of why people migrate. As my research suggests so far, many of the reasons can be explained by the role of neoliberalism in Latin American countries.

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