The Conversation
Venezuela’s Power Struggle Reaches a Tense Stalemate, as Human Suffering Deepens
Even in a country where crisis has become the norm, the past month has been eventful.
Oil’s Corrosive Impact on Democracy Is the True Socialist Gateway Drug
The bogeyman of Venezuelan “socialism” has had repercussions throughout the Americas.
Mexican War on Drugs Has, in Places, Decreased Life Expectancy
In Mexico, life expectancy increased for more than six decades, but as we found in our new research, this rate slowed down between 2005 and 2015, and in some states even reversed.
How Mexican Advertising Featuring Rich White People Perpetuates Racism and Classism
My recently published research examines how this aspirational advertising demonstrates racial and social inequalities in Mexico, and reinforces colonial thinking in the country.
The Promise and Peril of the Dominican Baseball Pipeline
Enmeshed in a system that encourages them to specialize in baseball at an early age, Dominican players are left with little to fall back on when baseball doesn’t pan out.
There’s No Way to Stop Human Trafficking by Treating It as an Immigration Enforcement Problem
The Trump administration’s efforts to slow the pace of immigration are making conditions more precarious for undocumented workers and causing an uptick in human trafficking.
For Native Americans, US-Mexico Border Is an ‘Imaginary Line’
“Our relatives are all considered ‘aliens,’” said the Yaqui elder and activist José Matus. “They’re not aliens…. They’re indigenous to this land.”
Mexico’s Frontera Sur: Life Carries On in This Place of Permanent Mobility
The day we arrive in Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas, the southern Mexican state that borders Guatemala, all is quiet.
Which Countries Have the Most Immigrants?
The proportion of immigrants varies considerably from one country to another. In some, it exceeds half the population, while in others it is below 0.1%. Which countries have the most immigrants? Where do they come from? How are they distributed across the world?
Brazil and Venezuela Clash Over Migrants, Humanitarian Aid and Closed Borders
Relations between the two countries are deteriorating fast, too.
Mexico Is Being Held to Ransom by Oil Thieves and Systemic Corruption
People in Mexico have been generally supportive of the president’s measures to prevent theft, despite widespread shortages and explosions at pipelines where oil has stopped and tapping has occurred.
Citizens in the West Should Care About Discriminatory Immigration Policies
Our research shows that these types of policies remain fairly common among liberal democracies.
Cuba Expands Rights But Rejects Radical Change in Updated Constitution
This is how social change works these days in Cuba, my home country and the subject of my academic research.
Venezuela Crisis: Trump Threats to Maduro Evoke Bloody History of US Intervention in Latin America
Despite near global condemnation of Nicolás Maduro, any U.S. intervention in Venezuela would be controversial.
Trump May Seek More Punishment of Cuba
Activating Title III would represent a quantum leap in hostility.
US Sanctions on Venezuelan Oil Could Cut the Output of Refineries at Home
Refineries located along the U.S. Gulf Coast in Louisiana and Texas were just about Venezuela’s last source of hard currency.
How Smallpox Devastated the Aztecs and Helped Spain Conquer a Civilization 500 Years Ago
Within just two years, Aztec ruler Montezuma was dead, the capital city of Tenochtitlan was captured and Cortés had claimed the Aztec empire for Spain.
Parkland Shooting: One Year Later, Congress Still Avoids Action on Gun Control
Why are the public’s pleas on this and other issues ignored?
Venomous Yellow Scorpions Are Moving Into Brazil’s Big Cities, and the Infestation May Be Unstoppable
It is a hallmark of what those of us in the complex problems field call a “VUCA” world—a world that’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous.
Hope and Anguish in a Mexican Refugee Shelter: Researcher Records Stories of Central American Asylum Seekers
Tochán responds to the basic needs of the men, including the provision of beds, clothing, meals and toiletries.
López Obrador Clashes With Courts After Vowing ‘Poverty’ for Mexican Government
At a press conference on February 1, the Mexican president said his government would embrace what he called “Franciscan poverty” if it would “transfer funds to the people” and achieve “development, jobs and welfare.”