Why Chile’s Voice Echoed Louder: The Impact of Refugee Influx on Transnational Solidarity

Why do certain national crises garner more global attention than others? This paper addresses this question by comparing the strong transnational solidarity mobilization in response to Chile's 1973-89 dictatorship to the less pronounced reaction to the similarly violent dictatorship in neighboring Argentina. To explain this difference, I focus on the role of incoming refugees in strengthening solidarity efforts initiated by local activists. By comparing solidarity campaigns in France and the UK, I show that Chilean exiles were much more likely than Argentine exiles to apply for and receive refugee status, despite facing similar asylum policies within receiving countries. This helped Chilean exiles integrate into local activist networks, making them more active participants in solidarity campaigns and fostering stronger connections with local communities compared to their Argentine counterparts. Supported by a unique panel dataset of protest events across 24 countries gathered from archival sources, I then show that solidarity efforts were more sustained in cities accommodating a higher number of refugees. The findings shed light on the impact of refugee influxes on awareness and engagement towards distant crisis among host-country residents, and highlights the conditions that enable diaspora communities to influence international political landscapes.