Problems raised surround the border, the border conflicts, bring out the need of a border thinking. Because border has already imbued with oppositions, the interaction happened in the border is also problematic. Conflicts happen not only identity conflict but also classed, racial, language etc. Mignolo and Tlostanova argue that this kind of “thinking or theorizing emerges from and as a response to the violence (frontiers), modernity, and globalization that continues to be implemented on the assumption of the inferiority or devilish intentions of the Other and, therefore continues to justify oppression and exploitation as well as eradication of the difference” (206). Kanellos affirms that people who cross borders either physically or symbolically or even in both ways “construct more than one national identity at a time or deconstruct and reject them all” (34). In the process of constructing the identity, …show more content…
Abstract borders differ from the concrete ones, as they are not limited by time and space. This kind of border is more fluid than the fenced, gated and walled border. Nonetheless, both borders are open to any border conflict where people involve in a clash between the two sides of the border. Experiencing a border conflict motivates people especially scholars to look for a remedy. Anzaldúa, for example, invents the Mestiza Consciousness as the alternative to find the middle ground between the oppositional sides of the border. Experiencing a border conflict herself, Anzaldúa is able to find the ‘cure’ herself. By understanding the nature of the border, people can also acquire ‘a border perspective’ as proposed by Martínez. This kind of perspective works similar to Anzaldúa’s. In the process of understanding both sides of the border, the process of un-learning the dominant discourse happens. In Mignolo and Tlostanova’s terms, it is known as the critical border
In both the movie, La Misma Luna, and the newspaper series, Enrique’s Journey, there is a demonstration of abuse of power. Judicial policemen, immigration officers, and bandits all take part in hurting migrants in various ways. If a migrant is lucky enough to make it across the borders, then they will most certainly have physical and emotional scars. They also have their own story of survival to tell. One of the main messages sent relating to this topic is immigration officers, judicial policemen, and bandits abuse their authority by beating, robbing, and raping vulnerable immigrants in fragile situations.
When Gloria Anzaldua writes in The Homeland Aztlan “this land was Mexican once, was Indian always and is and will be again” one can assume or conclude that she recognizes that the land was taken away from the Indians by Americans. Therefore, you can say that she catecterize the border as Indian Land. To my way of thinking,Gloria Anzaldua blends poetry, personal narrative and history to present the view and experiences of people affected by living in the borderlands and to establish credibility to the poem. On the other hand, this chapter and the two poems present a connection because the three of them express the drwabacks of being Mexican- American.
In a story of identity and empowerment, Juan Felipe Herrera’s poem “Borderbus” revolves around two Honduran women grappling with their fate regarding a detention center in the United States after crawling up the spine of Mexico from Honduras. While one grapples with their survival, fixated on the notion that their identities are the ultimate determinant for their future, the other remains fixated on maintaining their humanity by insisting instead of coming from nothingness they are everything. Herrera’s poem consists entirely of the dialogue between the two women, utilizing diction and imagery to emphasize one’s sense of isolation and empowerment in the face of adversity and what it takes to survive in America.
In T.C. Boyle’s The Tortilla Curtain, it should be easily noted that each wall comes with a much deeper, metaphorical meaning. The literal and figurative boundaries in the story appear as symbols for what keep the characters in their own “worlds.” These boundaries symbolize the fear of outside forces which each character struggles to keep away from what they cherish the most. Although the boundaries in the story can both be real and imagined, each one of them can allude back to the main issue of the Mexican-American border.
Batlla argues that an “imaginary Mexico” exists, a minority culture within Mexico that represents Western, colonial interests. In opposition to this imaginary Mexico is the México profundo, or “deep” Mexico. México profundo underlies the imaginary Mexico and has its core in Mesoamerican culture, which reaches back into history for centuries upon centuries. According to Batalla, the relationship between these two cultures is fraught and, at times, violent, as “the imaginary Mexico tries to subordinate the rest of the population to its plans”. He argues a position different from that of the course’s themes, which emphasize the joining and mixing of Mesoamerican and colonial culture. According to Batalla, “[n]o room has been allowed for a convergence of civilizations through a slow fusion that gives rise to a new civilizational plan, different from the two original ones of arising from
Diener, A. C., & Hagen, J. (2012). Borders:A Very Short Introduction. Great Britian: Oxford University Press. Retrieved March 1, 2014
Overall Thomas King’s “Borders” is a great story and every must read it. The author successfully sends an important message through the protagonist’s character that our identity, our culture, our traditions comes above all and we should back it no matter what. King auspiciously wrote the story by giving the readers a refreshing yet fruitful time to spend on reading this great story “Borders” through the innocent eyes of the young
In Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, Gloria Anzaldua recalls lived experiences of oppression and the matric of domination. She uses her writing as an act of rebellion from her culture that outcast her. It entails Anzaldua and her family’s history of oppression, her memories of their hard work and contradictions, and her knowledge of her ancestry in the borderlands. She calls out two contrary frames of reference, the Mexican and the American, which depend on the dualities of the racist, the sexist, and the homophobic. These two frames of reference are riddled with rigidity and dichotomies that limit Anzaldua's identity. But as each side of the dualities continuously clashes, the line in between where they converge is the existence of
Being culturally conscious in the United States opens a door of complications for minority people whose cultures differ from the American standard. While the option to assimilate is tempting due to the widespread unacceptance of non-US cultural traditions, people of other cultures are under constant pressure to maintain their heritage and accept American views. In Gloria Anzaldúa’s book Borderlands/La Frontera, Anzaldúa explains the complications of the mestiza consciousness where a person is pressured on multiple cultural fronts. However, Anzaldúa develops the argument that this consciousness allows for the mestiza to move past a position of “counterstance’ with the white majority and have the option to act instead of react. In Emma Tenayuca’s excerpt in Herencia: The Anthology of Hispanic Literature of the United State and Maria
Over the years it seems as though our country has become more populated and unsafe from the illegal immigrants and smuggled goods, such as drugs and weapons, which make it into the United States. Although there are many illegal immigrants and contraband that are able to make it into the U.S undetected, there are a significant amount of people and contraband that are caught by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The CBP is a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and was formed in 2003. “It is one of the world’s largest law enforcement organizations and is charged with keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S” (CBP). One of the departments of the CBP is border security, which is a team of individuals that work together to protect our country from “illegal immigrants, narcotics smuggling, and illegal importation” (CBP). Border patrol was established in 1924 and has changed dramatically over the decades. The one aspect that has not changed is “the overall mission to detect and prevent the illegal entry of aliens into the U.S” (CBP). The border patrol is responsible for patrolling the 6,000 miles of Mexican and Canadian land borders and 2,000 miles of coastal waters. According to CBP, “In 2013 420,789 nationwide illegal aliens were apprehended and 2.9 million pounds of drugs were seized.” As one could tell, there is a significant amount of illegal immigrants and smuggled goods coming into the U.S. However, the number of illegal immigrants that have been seized is lower than it has been in the past, but I still believe that having a strong border security is necessary in continuing to keep immigrants from trying to come into the U.S illegally and transporting illegal goods. “The primary goal of bo...
"As Growth Stalls, Unauthorized Immigrant Population Becomes More Settled." Pew Research Centers Hispanic Trends Project RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2014.
How complicated can it be to secure the borderland? Nearly 2,000 miles and five states form the Southern border of the United States. Although the nation puts a lot of effort and resources on trying to secure the border, the Southern border remains as one of the most conflictive, active and violent borders in the world. The U.S.-Mexican border is very problematic: Thousands of people try to cross it everyday, violence is generated by the Mexican cartels, and there is an increase on human trafficking. The Border Patrol and the U.S. government face many great challenges, as the cartels become more powerful and corruption increases.
The long-standing border conflict between the African nations of Eritrea and Ethiopia greatly contribute to the overall destabilization in the Horn of Africa (HOA). The United States (US) and Great Britain have historically appreciated the strategic importance of Ethiopia, and the US offered its support by attempting to broker long-term treaties in order to end the conflicts (Lyon, 2006). Despite these efforts the region remains in flux; many believe Eritrea is providing support to Al-Shabab. Eritrea is currently subject to United Nations (UN) sanctions because of their suspected ties to Al-Shabab and other human rights violations (Van Kemenade, 2012). This instability, combined with Eritrea’s and Ethiopia’s involvement with various sects in Somalia, is a threat to US national security and is costing the US and others in the international community large amounts of money in humanitarian aid (Lyon, 2006).
The eternal endeavor of obtaining a realistic sense of selfhood is depicted for all struggling women of color in Gloria Anzaldua’s “Borderlands/La Frontera” (1987). Anzaldua illustrates the oppressing realities of her world – one that sets limitations for the minority. Albeit the obvious restraints against the white majority (the physical borderland between the U.S. and Mexico), there is a constant and overwhelming emotional battle against the psychological “borderlands” instilled in Anzaldua as she desperately seeks recognition as an openly queer Mestiza woman. With being a Mestiza comes a lot of cultural stereotypes that more than often try to define ones’ role in the world – especially if you are those whom have privilege above the “others”.
Who am I? Wrestling with identity— our history, our culture, our language— is central to being human, and there’s no better way to come to grips with questions of identity than through the crossing of borders. The transcendence of borders reveals the fluid nature of identity, it challenges absurd notions of rigid nationalities, and highlights our common humanity. It is no coincidence, then, that my experience as an immigrant has shaped my academic journey and pushed me to pursue graduate studies.