Alejandro Olayo-Méndez
Alejandro is pursuing a DPhil in International Development at the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID). His research proposal is titled ‘Migration and Humanitarian Aid along The Mexican Migration Corridor’. He is supervised by Hein de Haas.
Research focus
In his research Alejandro explores the interaction between migrants and humanitarian aid organisations along the Mexican migration corridor and the ways these interactions shape the migratory processes in the region. He is particularly interested in the intersection of humanitarian aid and migration, as well as questions regarding human rights, inequality, transit migration, meso-level structures, and the so-called 'Migration Industry'.
Background
Alejandro recently completed his MSc in Migration Studies at Oxford. In his thesis 'Refining the Concept of the Migration Industry: The Emergence of a Humanitarian Aid Network in the Mexican', he makes a case for considering humanitarian aid as part of the migration industry by focusing on the functional aspects of it. He also holds a Master of Social Work from Loyola University Chicago and a Master of Divinity (Theology) from Boston College. Professionally, he counseled immigrant families in Chicago; conducted research for Jesuit Service to Migrants and the US Jesuit Conference in the Mexican Migration Corridor; and worked for Jesuit Refugee Services in Colombia and India.