Crossing borders, reinforcing borders : social categories, metaphors, and narrative identities on the U.S.-Mexico frontier / Pablo Vila.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Vila, Pablo, 1952-

Series:

Inter-America series.

Inter-America series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Group identity--Mexican-American Border Region.

Group identity.

Group identity--Mexico--Ciudad Juarez.

Group identity--Texas--El Paso.

Ciudad Juárez (Mexico)--Social conditions.

Ciudad Juárez (Mexico).

El Paso (Tex.)--Social conditions.

El Paso (Tex.).

Mexican-American Border Region--Social conditions.

Mexican-American Border Region.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (305 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Reinforcing borders

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Along the U.S.-Mexico frontier, where border crossings are a daily occurrence for many people, reinforcing borders is also a common activity. Not only does the U.S. Border Patrol strive to "hold the line" against illegal immigrants, but many residents on both sides of the border seek to define and bound themselves apart from groups they perceive as "others." This pathfinding ethnography charts the social categories, metaphors, and narratives that inhabitants of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez use to define their group identity and distinguish themselves from "others." Pablo Vila draws on over 200 group interviews with more than 900 area residents to describe how Mexican nationals, Mexican immigrants, Mexican Americans, African Americans, and Anglos make sense of themselves and perceive their differences from others. This research uncovers the regionalism by which many northern Mexicans construct their sense of identity, the nationalism that often divides Mexican Americans from Mexican nationals, and the role of ethnicity in setting boundaries among Anglos, Mexicans, and African Americans. Vila also looks at how gender, age, religion, and class intertwine with these factors. He concludes with fascinating excerpts from re-interviews with several informants, who modified their views of other groups when confronted by the author with the narrative character of their identities.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

PHOTOGRAPHS

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1 THE MEXICAN SIDE: DISCOURSES OF REGION

Chapter 2 THE MEXICAN SIDE: DISCOURSES OF NATION

Chapter 3 THE EMPLOTMENT OF THE MEXICAN ON THE U.S. SIDE OF THE BORDER

Chapter 4 MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS AND THE “ALL POVERTY IS MEXICAN” NARRATIVE PLOT

Chapter 5 OPERATION BLOCKADE, OR WHEN PRIVATE NARRATIVES WENT PUBLIC

Chapter 6 DIALOGICAL SOCIAL SCIENCE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF NARRATING BETTER STORIES

Appendix CATEGORIES, INTERPELLATIONS, METAPHORS, AND NARRATIVES: A BRIEF THEORETICAL DISCUSSION

NOTES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0-292-79632-3

OCLC:

70179581