The West Indian Diaspora

Suzanne Model examines the adaptation of West Indians in five host societies: the United States, Great Britain, Canada, France and the Netherlands. The economic, political, and demographic disparities within these countries raise the question: how do conditions at destination affect West Indian well-being? Model examines indicators like fertility, geography, education, employment and intermarriage among the West Indian diaspora. Contrary to the expectations of theorists, she shows that West Indian well-being varies not only by destination but also by indicator; for example, education and earnings are highest in the U.S., but so is poverty. Model concludes by discussing how country-level characteristics affect West Indian well-being.