The Central American Refugees

?Ferris has written more than a book on Central American refugees. She presents succinctly the domestic political situations, foreign policies, and refugee policies of Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, the US, and Nicaragua. Ferris's thesis--that national political traditions, foreign policy orientations, domestic economic conditions, and the relative numbers of refugees arriving in each country are the principal determinants of refugee policy--is explored and affirmed. In addition, the conditions that create refugee flow in the various Central American countries are examined. Ferris points out that refugees are not one homogenous group, but can be classed as political exiles, urban refugees, or peasants. An excellent introduction to the political conditions, foreign policies, and refugee policies of these countries. There is no comparable work on Central American refugees.?-Choice