Forced Displacement and Globalization in Latin America

Abstract

Abstract Forced displacement in Latin America has dramatically increased in the twenty-first century. The vast majority of forced displacements in 2016 took place in high-risk zones characterized by low institutional reaction capacity, high levels of economic vulnerability, and high exposure to man-made and natural dangers. The new complexities of this old regional phenomenon demand that we revise our understanding of forced displacement and asylum seeking, as both are no longer exclusively caused by internal armed conflicts. Recent cases in countries such as Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras allow us to discern myriad factors driving forced displacements and diverse mobilities in the region, which could in turn bring another, deeper humanitarian crisis in Latin America. This contribution addresses these topics vis-à-vis the new forms of violence and displacement in the region.