HAVANA TIMES – The “migrant dream” of Cubans is under the scrutiny of researchers from the University of Oriente in Santiago de Cuba. The official press dedicated a recent article to outline the “concern” of academics about a series of factors that are demographically troubling the province: the youth exodus, an aging population, high infant mortality, and low fertility.
After gathering data on migration from students at five schools at different education levels, the university’s Department of Psychology identified multiple “atypical situations,” as they describe the act of leaving the country. The study was launched as part of a Migration Research Project, and although it does not provide figures, it draws revealing conclusions.
A battalion of “sociologists, educators, journalists, social communicators, economists, psychiatrists” under the leadership of Dr. Raida Dusu, head of the project, noted that Cuban families have suffered serious “alterations.” Teenagers and young adults —who emigrate more frequently— have “replaced” their family role of “studying” or “building identity” to become the family’s “providers,” a role that would traditionally belong to their parents.
The exodus “modifies life projects,” impacts “friendship and romantic relationships,” and “transforms the ways development tasks are approached at certain stages of life,” said Dusu. The consequence