Article by Maya Ramirez ’16
Adams State University Associate Professor of Sociology Dr. Benjamin Waddell was named the 2016 Tom L. Popejoy Dissertation Prize recipient for his manuscript, "The Political Economy of Remittance-led Development in Guanajuato, Mexico."
Waddell received his Ph.D. in Sociology, from the University of New Mexico (UNM). His dissertation, completed in 2013, combines ethnographic and statistical analysis to examine the long-term effects of mass emigration on migrant sending communities in central Mexico.
Waddell’s dissertation focuses on how immigrants influence their homelands and communities of origin after leaving. His analysis examines the long term effects of the money migrants send on the overall quality of life of those left behind. His findings have important policy implications for migrant communities in Mexico and other parts of the world.
The Tom L. Popejoy Dissertation Prize is a permanent memorial to the late Tom L. Popejoy, president of UNM from 1948 to 1968. The award is given to those who are recognized for their highest level of academic excellence. The award is given on a rotating basis. This year’s award recognized the best dissertation for social sciences in the past three years.
