Rural El Salvador has developed a ‘culture of migration,” where an increasing number of young people expect to migrate to the United States. For countries like El Salvador, remittance has become a development tool replacing Foreign Direct Investment as the number one “foreign aid’. Countries like Jamaica and the Philippines manage migration using their Diaspora to stimulate economic development. This is called Diaspora Driven Development. Diaspora Driven Development refers to the variety of policies and programs govemments systematically utilize to encourage expatriate populations, either permanent or temporary, to contribute to the economic development of their home country.[1]
View the film “Cash Flow Fever”. The documentary explores the power of remittance as a development tool.
While you view the film, consider the following questions.
How is the study of remittances -geographical?” Assess the benefits and drawbacks of remittances for the sending countries. Discuss the possible push and pull factors in the Migration of Salvadoran to the United States? Discuss the efforts of governments and international organizations to improve the way remittances are used as a tool for economic development in El Salvador. Identify and describe some of the problems undocumented migrant workers face when coming to the United States from El Salvador. Submit the answer to these questions as an assignment.
Summarize the film. Using the summary and answers to your questions as your guide, develop an argument for the inclusion of Diaspora Driven Development in a developing state’s economic development strategy in place the International Trade Model or Self Sufficiency Model.
Sample Solution
