Collects writings by such top contributors as Jamaica Kincaid, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Richard Rodriguez, as well as a host of new writers, to present a history of modern immigration and reflections on the immigrant experience.
A collection of first-person narratives and anecdotes, close-up portrait photographs, and the author's personal and historical reflections capture the rich ethnic diversity of the people and landscapes of the borough of Queens in New York City, in a volume that comes complete with an audio rendition of the oral histories and music by composer Scott Johnson. Original.
Award-winning Mexican author Juan Pablo Villalobos explores illegal immigration with this emotionally raw and timely nonfiction book about ten Central American teens and their journeys to the United States. You can't really tell what time it is when you're in the freezer. Every year, thousands of migrant children and teens cross the U.S.-Mexico border. The journey is treacherous and sometimes deadly, but worth the risk for migrants who are escaping gang violence and poverty in their home countries. And for those refugees who do succeed? They face an immigration process that is as winding and multi-tiered as the journey that brought them here. In this book, award-winning Mexican author Juan Pablo Villalobos strings together the diverse experiences of eleven real migrant teenagers, offering readers a beginning road map to issues facing the region. These timely accounts of courage, sacrifice, and survival—including two fourteen-year-old girls forming a tenuous friendship as they wait in a frigid holding cell, a boy in Chicago beginning to craft his future while piecing together his past in El Salvador, and cousins learning to lift each other up through angry waters—offer a rare and invaluable window into the U.S.–Central American refugee crisis. In turns optimistic and heartbreaking, The Other Side balances the boundless hope at the center of immigration with the weight of its risks and repercussions. Here is a necessary read for young people on both sides of the issue.
Why so many of America's public university students are not graduating—and what to do about it The United States has long been a model for accessible, affordable education, as exemplified by the country's public universities. And yet less than 60 percent of the students entering American universities today are graduating. Why is this happening, and what can be done? Crossing the Finish Line provides the most detailed exploration ever of college completion at America's public universities. This groundbreaking book sheds light on such serious issues as dropout rates linked to race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Probing graduation rates at twenty-one flagship public universities and four statewide systems of public higher education, the authors focus on the progress of students in the entering class of 1999—from entry to graduation, transfer, or withdrawal. They examine the effects of parental education, family income, race and gender, high school grades, test scores, financial aid, and characteristics of universities attended (especially their selectivity). The conclusions are compelling: minority students and students from poor families have markedly lower graduation rates—and take longer to earn degrees—even when other variables are taken into account. Noting the strong performance of transfer students and the effects of financial constraints on student retention, the authors call for improved transfer and financial aid policies, and suggest ways of improving the sorting processes that match students to institutions. An outstanding combination of evidence and analysis, Crossing the Finish Line should be read by everyone who cares about the nation's higher education system.
Migrant Crossings examines the experiences and representations of Asian and Latina/o migrants trafficked in the United States into informal economies and service industries. Through sociolegal and media analysis of court records, press releases, law enforcement campaigns, film representations, theatre performances, and the law, Annie Isabel Fukushima questions how we understand victimhood, criminality, citizenship, and legality. Fukushima examines how migrants legally cross into visibility, through frames of citizenship, and narratives of victimhood. She explores the interdisciplinary framing of the role of the law and the legal system, the notion of "perfect victimhood", and iconic victims, and how trafficking subjects are resurrected for contemporary movements as illustrated in visuals, discourse, court records, and policy. Migrant Crossings deeply interrogates what it means to bear witness to migration in these migratory times--and what such migrant crossings mean for subjects who experience violence during or after their crossing.
Immigration is a hot topic in the United States. What kind of immigration should be allowed? How should immigrants who have come into the United States illegally be treated? What about the DREAMers? Refugees seeking asylum? Will building a border wall keep out illegal immigrants and stop the flow of drugs into the U.S.? Might improving technology offer a better answer? Students will learn about the issues surrounding immigration and border security while discovering how they can get involved in helping to find a solution.
As RTÉ's Washington correspondent, Caitríona Perry has earned a reputation as a reliable source of truth as the world tries to make sense of the maelstrom of shocking headlines emanating from Donald Trump's America. In her first book, she goes beyond the news reports and delves into the American heartland where she witnessed his rise at first hand, while others were blindsided by his victory. Bringing to the table the voices of those who voted for President Trump, the ones whose opinions didn't coalesce with acceptable mainstream discourse – Hillary Clinton's so-called 'basket of deplorables' – Caitríona Perry reveals just what is really happening in America right now This is the story of the American people who were angry and disillusioned by traditional politics. It is the story of the workers of the industrial heartland, of the women of America, of immigrant communities, of the people who viewed a wealthy businessman from the city of New York as 'one of us'. This is the story of the people who shook the world. 'Spellbindingly good. Journeying across America, Caitríona Perry masterfully takes us into the hearts and minds of those who voted for Donald Trump. A triumph of a book.' Prof. Gary Murphy, Head of the School of Law and Government, DCU 'From the Mexico border to the Oval Office, Caitríona Perry brings us to the coalface of one of the most tempestuous and extraordinary opening periods of any presidency in modern memory.' Ryan Tubridy 'In my visits to Ireland since the 2016 election, the most frequent question I get is "How could that happen?" Caitríona Perry answers it honestly and candidly as only someone who takes the time to understand could.' Cody Keenan, Chief Speechwriter to President Barack Obama 'Bringing us vivid voices from Trump country, and exploring the emotional landscape in which his campaign took root, this book deepens our understanding of the Trump phenomenon.' Anne Anderson, Former Irish Ambassador to the US. 'The hopes, contradictions and beliefs of Trump voters brilliantly told – a necessary and insightful book!' Joe Duffy 'This entertaining and insightful travelogue, through its attention to detail of both place and people, lays bare both the death and residual power of the American Dream.' Prof. Liam Kennedy, Clinton Institute for American Studies, UCD 'A genuinely fascinating chance to meet the most and least likely Trump voters and find out why his election was ultimately bound to happen.' Rick O'Shea
Immigration policy is one of the most contentious issues facing the United States today. The bitter national debate over California's Proposition 187, the influx of Cuban refugees into Miami, and the continuous, often illegal, crossings over the Mexican border into Texas and California are just a few of the episodes that have created a furor on local, state, and federal levels.In this timely and informative book, David Heer invites readers to examine the data and the trends of immigration to the United States and, ultimately, make up their own minds about what our national immigration policy ought to be. He demonstrates how social science findings, together with a conscious recognition of our individual values, are necessary for the formation of a balanced policy for immigration.Some of the the nation's collective values that may be affected by U.S. immigration policy are the standard of living in this country, the preservation of existing American culture, ethnic and class conflict, and the power of the United States in international affairs. Heer examines the impact of these values on immigration policy and traces the history of U.S. immigration and immigration law and patterns of immigration to the United States. Finally, he offers proposals for change to existing immigration policy.
"Courageous." -Ilan Stavans, author of Spanglish: The Making of a New American Language Robert Kennedy and Cesar Chavez came from opposite sides of the tracks of race and class that still divide Americans. Both optimists, Kennedy and Chavez shared a common vision of equality. They united in the 1960s to crusade for the rights of migrant farm workers. Farm workers faded from public consciousness following Kennedy's assassination and Chavez's early passing. Yet the work of Kennedy and Chavez continues to reverberate in America today. Bender chronicles their warm friendship and embraces their bold political vision for making the American dream a reality for all. Although many books discuss Kennedy or Chavez individually, this is the first book to capture their multifaceted relationship and its relevance to mainstream U.S. politics and Latino/a politics today. Bender examines their shared legacy and its continuing influence on political issues including immigration, education, war, poverty, and religion. Mapping a new political path for Mexican Americans and the poor of all backgrounds, this book argues that there is still time to prove Kennedy and Chavez right.
America today is witnessing the largest and most sustained wave of immigrants its borders have ever seen. Although factors like the Great Depression, World War II, and quota restrictions had slowed the massive influx of Europeans from the early part of the 20th century, policies like the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act have relaxed quotas and opened America's doors to hundreds of thousands of immigrants a year, from both Eastern and Western hemispheres, to reach a height of over 9 million immigrants in the 1990s. Today, immigrants and policy-makers alike grapple with issues regarding employment, education, refugee status, and family reunification; as well as illegal immigrants—many from Mexico, whose legal immigration alone accounts for more than 20% of immigrants in the US. Despite this, this comprehensive reference source allows a glimpse of the same motivating factors that drove earlier immigrants through Ellis Island's gates—the promise of economic opportunity and the hope of a better life. Over 70 A-Z entries address topical and timely aspects of modern US immigration, including: ; bilingual education ; domestic work ; employer sanctions ; gangs ; gender ; homeland security ; migrant education ; posttraumatic stress disorder ; stereotypes