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Religiosity and Migration Aspirations among Mexican Youth

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Abstract

International migration has become an important topic of discussion from a policy and humanitarian perspective. Part of the debate includes a renewed interest in understanding the factors that influence decisions about migration to the US among Mexican youth still residing in their country of origin. The purpose of this study was to advance knowledge specifically about internal and external religiosity and their influence on youths’ migration aspirations. The data for this study were collected in 2007 from students enrolled in an alternative high school program located in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. The findings indicated that as external religiosity increases, the desire to work or live in the USA decreases. Furthermore, as internal religiosity increases, the desire to work or live in the USA and plans to migrate increase. The results are interpreted and discussed in light of previous research on religious and cultural norm adherence.

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Acknowledgments

Data collection and analysis were supported by the Distinguished Foundation Professorship of Cultural Diversity and Health funded by Arizona State University. Logistical and methodological support was provided by the Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center (SIRC). SIRC is an Exploratory Center of Excellence for health disparities research, funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD; P20MD002316-4; PI: Marsiglia, Flavio) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIMHD or NIH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Texas at San Antonio, 501 W. Cesar Chavez Blvd., Frio Street Building #4.410, San Antonio, TX, 78207, USA

    Steven Hoffman

  2. School of Social Work, Arizona State University, 411 N. Central Ave., Suite 720, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA

    Flavio Francisco Marsiglia

  3. Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, Arizona State University, 411 N. Central Ave., Suite 720, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA

    Stephanie L. Ayers

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  1. Steven Hoffman
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  2. Flavio Francisco Marsiglia
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Correspondence to Steven Hoffman.

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Hoffman, S., Marsiglia, F.F. & Ayers, S.L. Religiosity and Migration Aspirations among Mexican Youth. Int. Migration & Integration 16, 173–186 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-014-0342-8

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