Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:395-399
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
The family in exile: Cuban expatriates in the United States
RD Rumbaut and RG Rumbaut
For the nearly one million Cuban exiles in this country, the ordeal of
expatriation has meant anguish and uprootedness, challenge and
accomplishment. Several factors account for the comparatively successful
aspects of their struggle: relatively high occupational and educational
levels, formation of vigorous communities that permit the maintenance of a
positive ethnic consciousness and the creation of strong social ties, and
effectively organized reception by the United States. Expatriation is
always traumatic and produces "casualties," but mastery of the struggles it
involves can lead to personal growth and expanded horizons. The Cuban
expatriate experience shows that the influx of large numbers of refugees
can be a creative and enriching process for both the host country and the
individual refugee.
