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111th out of 295 books
—
440 voters
Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America (Politics and Society in Twentieth Century America)
by
Mae M. Ngai
This book traces the origins of the "illegal alien" in American law and society, explaining why and how illegal migration became the central problem in U.S. immigration policy--a process that profoundly shaped ideas and practices about citizenship, race, and state authority in the twentieth century.
Mae Ngai offers a close reading of the legal regime of restriction that com...more
Mae Ngai offers a close reading of the legal regime of restriction that com...more
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
August 8th 2005
by Princeton University Press
(first published 2003)
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Mae Ngai’s Impossible Subjects, a sociological and legal history, traces the evolution of the “illegal alien’s” position in early 20th century American life. She focuses on the period between the imposition of national origin quotas in 1924 and their penultimate reform by the Hart-Celler Act of 1965. Impossible Subjects owes an intellectual and evidentiary debt to Matthew Frye Jacobson’s
Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race
. Ngai accepts that “whiteness” e...more
A very slow read but definitely worth it. Anyone who thinks illegal immigrants are taking over the country needs to pull his head out of his ass and read this.
Immigration is a hot topic now. This book, while a bit academic, provides a great perspective on the issue by reviewing the history of immigration policy, particularly during the 1920s- 1960s in the US. Ngai has chapters on Mexican immigration, Filipino immigration, Chinese and Japanese immigrants. It shows the racial nature of immigration restriction. It also shows the tension between opening borders and restricting them, which inevitably leads to illegal immigration. Not an easy read, but a fa...more
I am in no way an expert on this area of American history, so to me this book was pretty informative just in terms of filling in a fairly sketchy understanding of the history of immigration. The section on the construction of the illegal alien was particularly interesting. I do think the trajectory of Asian-Americans from "menace" to "model minority" could've been more fully articulated, and I would have also liked to read more about the relationships between different immigrant groups, instead...more
If you are interested in immigration issues, you need to read this book. Mae Ngai examines the legal and ideological ways in which the subject of the illegal alien was formed. She has been faulted (correctly) for beginning her book in 1924 - that is not paying enough attention to the importance of the Asian exclusion laws (covered in a book like Erika Lee's At America's Gates). Nevertheless this book is unique and thorough and interesting.
"Immigration restriction produced the illegal alien as a...more
"Immigration restriction produced the illegal alien as a...more
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The scholar Mae Ngai explores the world of immigration from developing countries with emphasis on Filipino and Mexican nations. I like her writing style though it can be very academic at times. Ngai does balance with personal narratives to bring the reader into the lives of those experiencing racial prejudice. Ngai actually gives some concrete steps of how to effect change, which is refreshing.
Excellent - situates current understandings of "foreign"-ness with immigration policy over the last century. Especially loved the sections about how different populations came to be seen (simply because of policy!) as permanently "illegal".
This book is very informative but also a very slow read. It was a lot of the author making a vague claim then saying, "Let's look at the history." and launching into a too-long explanation.
very comprehensive history and very good and important book, though i have to say based on how good other folks told me it was, i'm a bit disappointed. especially with the discussion of organized labor. the book sort of took up the worst of organized labor to make a slightly crude analysis of their white supremacy which was real esp. in leadership, but did not reflect the struggles and tensions around racism within labor unions (see Lipsitz). also, anyone know of a book on immigration history of...more
I never really considered how important illegal aliens are to our economy and American lives as a whole. This book brings up really intriguing concepts.
Key book in immigration policy. Traces the racializing of citizenship between the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924 and the Hart-Celler Act of 1965. Discusses the idea of constructing the "illegal alien." National quotas, racism, border patrol, agribusiness...it's all in here.
On a more practical level it's a great book for understanding where American immigration law and policy comes from, and what the debate is about these days.
I wouldn't recommend this book to the general reader, however. The legal hi...more
On a more practical level it's a great book for understanding where American immigration law and policy comes from, and what the debate is about these days.
I wouldn't recommend this book to the general reader, however. The legal hi...more
my favorite book from my thesis research
Great really (and I mean really) detailed look at how immigration law was shaped and influenced so many people.
this b00k rulez!
important.
history at its best.
May 09, 2013
Karina
marked it as to-read
May 05, 2013
Olivia
marked it as to-read
Apr 30, 2013
Miranda
marked it as to-read
Apr 24, 2013
Thea
marked it as to-read
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Mae Ngai is a professor of Asian American Studies and History at Columbia University.
More about Mae M. Ngai...
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Jun 19, 2008 01:16pm