548 - Thematic Session. Immigrant "Illegality": Various Contexts and Approaches

Session Submission Type: Invited Session

Abstract

This panel is composed of sociologists and other social scientists who are engaged in research focused broadly on immigrant “illegality,” examining the effects of this status, how the status has come to be, and its implications for the future of immigrant communities. The expert panelists conduct their research in various contexts and among different groups: from examining the experiences of children of undocumented immigrants in the United States from a child development perspective, to the effects of enforcement practices in the United Kingdom and Canada and how these intertwine with racialization processed in Russia, to the effects enforcement practices on the health and wellbeing of immigrants in Israel. The discussants, a sociologist and an anthropologist, follow this general structure in opening the discussion beyond sociological research on immigrant “illegality.” Therefore, this panel contributes to moving the discussion on this topic beyond disciplinary and geographical boundaries, as this issue has taken center stage in immigration research in various contexts and sites.

Sub Unit

• Thematic Sessions

Session Organizer

• Cecilia Menjivar, Arizona State University

Presider

• Cecilia Menjivar, Arizona State University

Panelists

• Nando Sigona, University of Oxford

• Victor Agadjanian, Arizona State University

• Sarah Willen, University of Connecticut

• Luin Goldring, York University

Discussant

• Cecilia Menjivar, Arizona State University