The Post-1990s Cuban Diaspora: A Scoping Review of Emigration & Integration Patterns

Objective: The Cuban diaspora has grown and extended to every continent. While much is known about the first wave of émigrés who left for political reasons following the 1959 revolution, less is known about the recent and ongoing waves of emigration. This study reviews empirical studies on Cubans who emigrated after the 1990s economic crisis.

Methods: This study employed Arksey and O’Malley’s 5-step framework to map, summarize, and report on the literature, and applied PRISMA-ScR guidelines for reporting findings. The investigators followed Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Population-Concept-Context (PCC) guidelines to define the question and eligibility criteria. The population consisted of post-Special-Period Cuban emigrants. The concept encompassed modes of migration, motives for leaving, and integration into host countries. The context included the circumstances that enabled departure from Cuba and the factors in host countries that facilitated their integration. The research question was: What are the experiences of Cubans who emigrated following the 1990s Special Period? Bilingual (Spanish and English) search terms were applied across nine databases.

Findings: Of 169 articles retrieved, 20 met the inclusion criteria. Studies spanned four continents. Thematic synthesis revealed five key themes. First, emigrants navigated significant migration hurdles, including both authorized and unauthorized pathways. Second, motives for migration were largely driven by severe scarcity during the Special Period of the 1990s and the belief that host countries offered better labor and professional opportunities, allowing them to send remittances back home. Some fled political repression, and others aimed to reunite with family. Third, economic integration into host countries was facilitated by formal and informal resettlement assistance. Many experienced downward mobility in the initial years. Fourth, cultural and social accommodation involved role changes stemming from family separation. Incorporation was easiest in countries where language and culture were most similar to those of Cuba. Fifth, connection and belonging involved redefining identity while maintaining transnational ties, which also served as protective factors against grief, loss, and nostalgia associated with displacement.

Discussion: Despite the limited number of empirical studies on this growing population, this global review identified cross-cutting themes applicable to research and practice with diaspora communities. Post-1990s emigration from Cuba is driven primarily by economic and political motives. Cuban migrants maintain transnational connections while adapting to their host countries. While most appreciated the opportunities available in their host countries, they also experienced nostalgia for home and often hoped to return to visit. Practice implications include the importance of supporting refugees in the initial years, understanding transnational connections, attending to the intersections of race, gender, age, and legal status, and addressing language barriers and cultural stigma. Future research should explore: the effects of Cuba’s continually deteriorating resources on its residents; the intersectional and intergenerational implications of émigré experiences; and the effect of maintaining close connections to home while integrating into host countries. Given this cohort’s enduring transnational ties to their homeland, we question whether they would repatriate should Cuba’s circumstances improve. This raises questions for social work conceptualizations of immigrants’ identity and belonging.