The Mobilizing Potential of Mass Migration: Experimental Evidence from Honduras

Abstract

Does mass emigration encourage or undermine protests? Emigration, being a personal decision made by households, can potentially aggregate into a collective expression of discontent against the prevailing status quo. In this paper, we focus on whether large-scale emigration influences protest support and participation. Using a survey experiment conducted in Honduras, we assess how emigration’s salience affected public opinion about anti-government demonstrations in 2021. Our findings reveal that respondents primed with information about migration expressed more favorable opinions toward protests, although their participation in demonstrations was unaffected. This study contributes to a better understanding of the link between emigration and public opinion for those who stay in their origin country, and also its limitations to mobilizing for change during periods of political turmoil.