Prof. John Zucchi receives SSHRC Insight Development Grant for a project on Failed Migrations in the late 19th Century

Prof. John Zucchi has won a SSHRC Insight Grant for his new research project “Late Nineteenth Century Failed Group Migrations: Why did prospective migrants subscribe to migration scams?” which focuses on migrants particularly from Quebec and Britain to Brazil. Generally, migrants relied on pre-existing migratory networks. Prof. Zucchi, however, is interested in exploring an understudied group of people, who responded quickly to advertisements that promised unrealistic opportunities. He posits that the same kind of gullibility which lures modern consumers into buying, was at work over a hundred years ago. But while modern-day consumers usually lose only money, impulse migrants often suffered more tragic fates—including family separation, injury, and even death.