Just Talk? International Migration, Cross-Border Communication and Political Tolerance in Latin America

Abstract

How does communication between immigrants from Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries to the United States (émigrés) and their household members who continue to live in LAC (stayers) influence stayers’ political tolerance? Using survey data from the Americas Barometer, we find that cross-border communication strengthens stayers’ political tolerance. We argue that this is because international emigration diversifies the social context and content of stayers’ deliberation. As émigrés change, stayers who observe these changes through cross-border communication accept émigrés’ new values and practices, becoming more tolerant. Additionally, stayers expand their tolerance in response to what they hear from émigrés about how political tolerance is practised in the United States. The article advances research on political tolerance, transnational migration and social remittances.