Subject of Domination, Object of Desire: Immigration Restrictionists’ and Expansionists' Analyses of Global Inequality

• In Event: 066 - Section on Political Sociology Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 02. Citizenship and Inclusion

Abstract

Why is immigration a controversial issue in the US? I explore this question by comparing how pro-immigrant and immigration restrictionist activists navigate and make sense of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert—a major point of entry to the US for undocumented immigrants. By comparing pro-immigrant and restrictionist activists’ practices and world views, I show how the two sides, surprisingly, agree that immigration stems from the privileged position of the US in the global economy. What they disagree about is the nature of global inequality, its long-term implications, and what Americans, at the apex of global power, should do about it.

Author

• Emine Fidan Elcioglu, University of California-Berkeley