Graduation Year

2026

Date of Submission

11-2025

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

International Relations

Reader 1

Jean-Pierre Murray

Abstract

This thesis examines how Latin American migrants navigate social networks across the stages of migration, arguing that networks function as the primary architecture through which access and belonging are produced. Drawing on six semi-structured interviews and a Gioia-based analysis, the study shows that networks act as substitutes and buffers for absent institutions at every point in the migration process. Family members coordinate departure, cover initial costs, and provide entry into housing and employment; acquaintances and strangers enable movement during transit; workplaces, churches, and community spaces create stability and meaning in settlement. These networks operate as informal infrastructures that migrants rely on because formal systems are inaccessible or indifferent. The findings suggest that networks reduce uncertainty and enable mobility, but they also reveal that access is deeply relational, grounded in trust, obligation, and reciprocity.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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