Pioneers and Followers: Migrant Selectivity and the Development of U.S. Migration Streams in Latin America

David P. Lindstrom, Brown University
Adriana Lopez Ramirez, Brown University

This paper presents a method for dividing the historical development of community migration streams into an initial period and a subsequent take-off stage with the purpose of systemically differentiating between pioneer migrants and follower migrants. The analysis is organized around the following research questions: (1) can we empirically identify a junction point in the historical development of community-based migration streams that marks the transition from an initial stage of low levels of migration and gradual growth into a take-off stage in which the prevalence of migration grows at a more accelerated rate? (2) does this juncture point exist at roughly similar migration prevalence levels across communities? (3) are first-time migrants in the initial stage (pioneers) different from first-time migrants in the take-off stage (followers)? (4) what is the nature of this migrant selectivity? and (5) does the nature and degree of pioneer selectivity vary across country migration streams?