Sin el Derecho de Vivir: Migration Songs, Corridos, and Death

• In Event: 469 - Section on International Migration Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 08. The Remaking of the U.S.-Mexico Border

Abstract

Given the broad and powerful emotional experience of migration, like other deeply meaningful human experiences, this experience has been captured in many forms of cultural expression. Here, we chronicle the various forms of migration songs including those from migrant and non-migrant perspectives. Given our location in the American Southwest, we also focus in specifically on the Mexican ballad form known as the corrido and the role that immigration has played in influencing this art form. We further document the growing trend of death as a theme in immigration corridos. What follows is one of the most comprehensive collections and analyses of immigration-related music available to date.

Authors

• Celestino Fernandez, University of Arizona

• Jessie K. Finch, University of Arizona