Miami, a “crossroads metropolis” of the Americas: Remarks based on the Haitian migratory experience

Abstract

This article explores the notion of a “crossroads metropolis” based on the case of metropolitan Miami, and the connection between its ethnic neighborhoods and the systems of migration on which the city has built its international standing. Miami is analyzed as a multicultural interface fueled by globalized migration. Within this framework, the residential and business spaces of Miami’s Haitian community are analyzed in relation to its role as a base and connecting hub for the development of transnational networks in the Haitian diaspora and the Caribbean basin.