Isolation, Invisibility, and Health among Mexican Migrant Farmworkers in Southern Georgia: A Case Study Público
Bail, Kari Mae (2011)
Abstract
Isolation, Invisibility, and Health among Mexican Migrant
Farmworkers in Southern Georgia: A Case Study
By Kari M. Bail
There are currently more than 3.5 million Latino farmworkers in the United States. Farmworkers represent one of the most marginalized and underserved populations in the U.S. This thesis examines the determinants of health among Mexican migrant farmworkers in the Southeastern United States through a case study. Migrant farmworker health is shaped by poverty, occupational hazards, undocumented status, and insufficient access to health care. This thesis employs a case study approach, utilizing Clifford Geertz's concept of "thick description" to provide a narrative account of the setting and context through the relationship of a key informant and community member to the migrant farmworker community (Geertz, 1977). The key informant has worked and lived among farmworkers for more than twenty years. Through years of advocacy and membership in the Mexican farmworker community, she has earned the trust of the migrant farmworker community. Five in-depth interviews were conducted with the key informant, resulting in some 180 pages of transcripts. These transcripts were analyzed using MAXQDA software. Memos were created by the author, and from those memos, the data was coded and analyzed.
This thesis evaluates acculturation theory, a dominant paradigm used to explain the impact of migration on health. Acculturation theory cannot be easily mapped onto the transnational experience of migrant farmworkers, who navigate multiple physical and cultural spaces yearly, and may not have the opportunity or inclination to acculturate into the host society. In addition, acculturation theory does not take into account the impact of invisibility and isolation on the health of the Mexican migrant farmworker population. The main finding of this paper is that isolation from family and community, as well as lack of access to institutions, impact the health and well-being of migrant farmworkers. Migrant farmworkers have unique health problems that result from isolation from family and community, which leaves migrants without a support network and without the social capital that could improve their health status. Invisibility of farmworkers within institutions, such as the educational system, health care locations, social services, domestic violence facilities, and churches contribute to inequality and illness among farmworkers.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction...1
Chapter 2: Comprehensive Review of the Literature...6
Chapter 3: Manuscript...17
Chapter 4: Conclusion...64
References...70
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