Forging Global Connections Argentine migrates to Midd for J-term

Author: Forrest Orme

As the passionate discussions over tax policy and immigration began to simmer, Professor Francisco Del Canto sarcastically joked, "Come on, this is not Latin America, no fighting or hitting."

The class "International Migrations" is taught all in Spanish and this Thursday morning the class is split into three groups: one discusses immigration policy in Spain, another weighs the effects of taxes on immigration to the Philippines, and the final argues why families immigrate within Latin America. One student pulls out a peer reviewed journal while another browses her comments in the Argentine paper La Nación

The students were discussing issues central to the work of Del Canto. Professor Del Canto hails from Mar del Plata in Argentina where he is a professor of Latin American Studies, International Relations, and Contemporary Issues in Immigration. Distinctly tall with blue eyes and shoulder length brown hair he has a rugged demeanor.

"Immigration is one of the most important aspects of International studies" Professor Del Canto told me. "What I want to show students is the complexity of immigration. I mean as soon as one individual leaves a country and moves to another country it completely changes both countries."

While talking about immigration within Latin America, senior Jeff Bates '09 suggests that economic policy and gaining economic advantage is the main driving force behind immigration.

"Only kind of correct," Professor Del Canto replies. "For example, immigration is more complicated in Latin America because family is more highly valued in Latin America than elsewhere and therefore decisions are not made only economically. It is a post modern world."

Del Canto came to his passion by way of an interest in personal stories. "I became interested in immigration because everyone is an immigrant. Everyone has an interesting story of how they came to live where they live.

Professor Del Canto's class, however, focuses less on the personal stories and more on the contemporary issues-economic policies, globalization, and the "brain drain" from the "developing world" into the "developed" world.

"When I was in Houston I went to see the debates between Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama," he tells me, "and all they talked about was immigration."

While Obama and Clinton's policies showed depth and understanding, Del Canto thinks that most people only have a cursory understanding of immigration. "What I don't like is when people say 'I don't like immigration or immigrants' without a defense. We cannot have change without informed debate. That is what my class is for."

Just after finishing a soccer game with the Spanish department we meet in the Juice Bar for a "café y charla" (coffee and chat) and Professor Del Canto looks at me and shivers, "It is so cold. I like it here, I mean it is pretty, but it is so cold outside. In Mar de Plata it is 80 degrees and sunny. Last night I wanted to come here for the band, but I walked outside and then walked back into my house. It was way to cold."

But for Del Canto the cold is only one of the small differences between Universidad de Mar de Plata and Middlebury. He explains, "In Mar de Plata I have to have two jobs. I teach three classes, and have a day job.

"You are so lucky that your professors can devote themselves totally to their classes," he added. The same goes for students. "Ninety percent of my students in Mar de Plata work during the day and then come to classes at night. It is hard to force them to do all of the reading and turn in good work, because they have to work all day. Here you guys can truly devote yourselves to your studies."

To forgo a summer vacation in Argentina to come to Vermont in the dead of winter must be a bit of a sacrifice, but his students are certainly pleased he did. "He [Professor Del Canto] is really funny and jokes a lots, but also offers a unique perspective that is less Eurocentric" Molly Lohman '09.5 added.