Seventh Grade Students' Perceptions of Nicaraguan Immigrants in Costa Rica

Abstract

Costa Rica has experienced large migrations from Nicaragua in the past two decades due primarily to Nicaragua’s weak economy and volatile government. Costa Rica offers immigrants a stable economy and political situation. One consequence of these migrations is strong negative perceptions held by Costa Ricans about Nicaraguans. How and from where did the negative perceptions originate? What feeds and encourages these negative perceptions? Why do negative perceptions continue to persist? In order to answer these questions and assess the validity of the negative perceptions, this thesis analyzes essays written by seventh-graders regarding their opinions of Nicaraguans in Costa Rica. The overall student response was negative, which matches the discourse used by the adult population. In some instances, there was reasonable, objective evidence for the validity of the negative perceptions. However, in most cases, the students tended to over-generalize and exaggerate negative perceptions in response to their fear of the “other.”