Undocumented Stories

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 2:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Emerging Directions in Historical Methods

Abstract

The concept of being undocumented is something that was created by nation-states in order to create exclusivity (White, 2014). A brief historical overview of how the United States got to 11 million undocumented migrants (Krogstad, 2024) and why this status has been an unethical form of controlling populations (White, 2014). How did we get here and how do undocumented individuals challenge dominant narratives? Drawing on Foucault’s biopolitics, queer theory, Xicana feminist frameworks, and UndocuCrit, this research examines the nuanced emotional and social complexities of growing up undocumented in the United States. Using a plática methodology with multiple participants who experienced K-12 education while undocumented, the study explores how these individuals engage in testimonio and restorying to reclaim their narratives.

Author

• Brenda Ortiz Torres, University of Colorado - Boulder