Understanding Czech Migration to the United States through the Aspirations-Capabilities Framework

There are approximately 1.2 million people of Czech ancestry in the United States, yet relatively little is known about the approximately 60,000 to 80,000 immigrants who arrived after 1989. This study employs the aspirations-capabilities framework to examine this more recent immigrant group and its engagement with institutional networks linked to Czechia and the Czech diaspora. Based on data gathered from two online surveys and qualitative interviews we answer the following questions: What were the aspirations and capabilities of Czech immigrants settling in the United States during the postcommunist era? How did this twenty-first century cohort of immigrants engage with organizations created a century earlier and did this engagement facilitate their capabilities? Who participates in these organizations and how might this engagement impact future mobility decisions? We conclude that long-established immigrant organizations contributed to the capabilities of many recent Czech migrants in the United States, which affirms patterns seen with other immigrant groups. In addition, we highlight that such organizations are important components to geographical opportunity structures that influence destination choice and future mobility decisions.