A sociology professor and immigration expert from Boston University will speak at New Mexico State University next week about Cuban immigration.
Susan Eckstein’s lecture, titled “Cuban Immigration Exceptionalism: How and Why?”, will begin at 4 p.m. April 7 at Nason House, 1070 University Ave. The lecture, sponsored by NMSU’s Center for Latin American and Border Studies and the Department of Sociology, is free and open to the public.
Eckstein is a past-president of the Latin American Studies Association and a prominent scholar in Latin American Sociology with specializations in Mexico and Cuba, as well as immigration and social movements. She has published numerous books and articles including the award-winning book on Fidel Castro, “Back From the Future: Cuba Under Castro.” Her most recent book, “The Immigrant Divide,” focuses on different waves of Cuban migration and their involvement with their homeland.
Alison Newby, an assistant professor of sociology at NMSU who has conducted research in Cuba, said Eckstein’s visit couldn’t be better timed given Cuba’s evolving relationship with the US.
“Professor Eckstein has conducted extensive fieldwork in Cuba and is one of the top scholars in the field. Her visit is a real opportunity to learn about the changes in the Cuban diaspora and their effects on both the United States and Cuba as both countries work to redefine their relationship,” Newby said.
Iñigo García-Bryce, director of the NMSU Center for Latin American and Border Studies, said the talk also highlights the diversity of topics in the CLABS Speaker Series that addresses issues in the Border Region and Latin America more broadly. Speakers have included prestigious scholars from NMSU and from universities in both the U.S. and Latin America.
Information from NMSU