In this episode, School of International Service (SIS) professor Jesse Ribot joins Big World to discuss his current research on migration, vulnerability, and the “hungry season” in West Africa.  

Ribot, a member of the SIS Department of Environment, Development, and Health, begins our conversation by discussing how a ship that sunk off the coast of Italy and killed hundreds of migrants on board was the precursory climate event that spurred his latest research in West Africa (2:02). Ribot then shares what he learned when he traveled to Tambacounda, Senegal, to interview several families of migrants who died on the ship about their reasons for leaving home (5:59).

What is the hungry season, and what role does it play in migration out of Senegal? (13:20) Jesse addresses these questions and shares how misconceptions about the roots of hunger can be addressed (24:16) and how he hopes his research is applied in the future (25:44).