Abstract
This study examines the emergence and characteristics of a new fifth wave of Cuban emigration, focusing on a group of migrants identified as “Los Comunicados.” This cohort, I argue, has harnessed their social networks in unprecedented ways, leveraging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Netflix to facilitate and reshape migration patterns. The study suggests that Cuba, due to its history as a socialist state, serves as an inadvertent case study for understanding the transformative impact of internet and social media access in a globalized world. The relatively recent availability of uncensored internet has allowed for a new form of social network engagement, which has had profound implications for migration dynamics. Through an analysis of life history interviews with twenty-five Cubans who migrated to the United States between 2017 and 2022, along with participant observations and an examination of both digital and offline social networks, I demonstrate how these new digital tools have altered the migration landscape. The findings reveal that access to these networks has not only facilitated alternative migration routes but has also led to record numbers of Cubans leaving the island and sparked island-wide protests, prompting renewed censorship of media outlets. These developments are particularly significant in light of recent reports by the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), which indicate that between 2023 and 2024, emigration from Cuba reached unprecedented levels, with the equivalent of entire provinces effectively depopulated.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Vectors of Society and Culture
KEYWORDS
Social Media, Social Networks, Migration, Cuba, Digital Platforms, Identity
