The Venezuelan Diaspora: Toward a New Understanding of Forced Migration

Abstract

I argue in this thesis that the massive flow of Venezuelan emigration started after 2015 must be understood as a non-voluntary kind of migration because of the similar patterns that this ongoing process shares with previous experiences of compelled displacement. I also argue that the case of Venezuela offers an exceptional opportunity to expand and improve the general understanding on forced migration, a conflicting term which still remains unclear, amidst unsettled academic debates. Based on the case of Venezuela this thesis suggest that, beyond violence and persecution, closer attention should be given to economic collapse as an independent triggering factor that may cause compelled migration. Finally, this thesis highlights the necessity of analyzing the patterns of timing and volume as intrinsic characteristics of this kind of movements.