Eastern Kentucky University
“City of Immigrants,” Buenos Aires, Argentina
Institution
Eastern Kentucky University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
John Dizgun
Abstract
Large scale immigration has been one of the great global phenomena of the modern era. It has dramatically reshaped the social, political, economic, and cultural landscapes of host countries the world over. Argentina, not unlike the United States, Canada, and Australia, is a new world country that has welcomed millions of newcomers. Indeed, it is impossible to understand Argentine history and society fully without considering the pivotal role immigration has played in its development. In Summer 2012, as part of the KIIS Argentina study abroad program, I was fortunate to travel to Buenos Aires for one month to experience this vibrant megacity of some 12 million people. Studying in this “city of immigrants” provided a unique opportunity to analyze first-hand the legacy of large-scale immigration in a country other than my own. Argentina’s immigrant legacy is not only apparent by its largely Italian and Spanish-descended populace, it is evident in many other facets of society: Italian cuisine, Yiddish theatres, German hospitals, Armenian neighborhoods, and Arabic-language newspapers all attest to Argentina’s rich immigrant history.
“City of Immigrants,” Buenos Aires, Argentina
Large scale immigration has been one of the great global phenomena of the modern era. It has dramatically reshaped the social, political, economic, and cultural landscapes of host countries the world over. Argentina, not unlike the United States, Canada, and Australia, is a new world country that has welcomed millions of newcomers. Indeed, it is impossible to understand Argentine history and society fully without considering the pivotal role immigration has played in its development. In Summer 2012, as part of the KIIS Argentina study abroad program, I was fortunate to travel to Buenos Aires for one month to experience this vibrant megacity of some 12 million people. Studying in this “city of immigrants” provided a unique opportunity to analyze first-hand the legacy of large-scale immigration in a country other than my own. Argentina’s immigrant legacy is not only apparent by its largely Italian and Spanish-descended populace, it is evident in many other facets of society: Italian cuisine, Yiddish theatres, German hospitals, Armenian neighborhoods, and Arabic-language newspapers all attest to Argentina’s rich immigrant history.