Citizenship

Definition – The rights and responsibilities that a person has a result of being born or naturalized in a country.

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Recommended Books

From Immigrants to Americans: The Rise and Fall of Fitting In

Author:  Jacob Vigdor (University of Washington Expert on Immigration)
Published: January 16, 2010
ISBN: 1442201363
ISBN13: 978-1442201361
Pages:  232

“Immigration has always caused immense public concern, especially when the perception is that immigrants are not assimilating into society [the] way they should, or perhaps the way they once did. Americans are frustrated as they try to order food, hire laborers, or simply talk to someone they see on the street and cannot communicate with them because the person is an immigrant who has not fully adopted American culture or language. But is this truly a modern phenomenon? In From Immigrants to Americans, Jacob Vigdor offers a direct comparison of the experiences of immigrants in the United States from the mid-19th century to the present day. His conclusions are both unexpected and fascinating. Vigdor shows how the varying economic situations immigrants come from has always played an important role in their assimilation.

The English language skills of contemporary immigrants are actually quite good compared to the historical average, but those who arrive without knowing English are learning at slower rates. He continues to argue that today’s immigrants face far fewer “incentives” to assimilate and offers a set of assimilation friendly policies. From Immigrants to Americans is an important book for anyone interested in immigration, either the history or the modern implications, or who want to understand why today’s immigrants seem so different from previous generations of immigrants and how much they are the same. “– Rowman & Littlefield

Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason and the Gap Between Us and Them

Author: Joshua Greene
Published: December 30, 2004
ISBN: 9780143126058
ISBN13: 9781594202605
Pages: 432

Our brains were designed for tribal life, for getting along with a select group of others (Us) and for fighting off everyone else (Them). But modern times have forced the world’s tribes into a shared space, resulting in epic clashes of values along with unprecedented opportunities. As the world shrinks, the moral lines that divide us become more salient and more puzzling. We fight over everything from tax codes to gay marriage to global warming, and we wonder where, if at all, we can find our common ground.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Author: Yuval Noah Harari
Published: April 30, 2015
ISBN: 0099590085
ISBN13: 9780099590088
Pages: 498

“Fire gave us power. Farming made us hungry for more. Money gave us purpose. Science made us deadly. This is the thrilling account of our extraordinary history – from insignificant apes to rulers of the world. Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time, one species among countless others has conquered it: us. In this bold and provocative book, Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are, how we got here and where we’re going.”– Penguin Random House

Political Tribes, Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations

Author: Amy Chua
Published: February 20, 2018
ISBN: 0399562850
ISBN13: 9780399562853
Pages: 304

Humans are tribal.  We need to belong to groups.  In many parts of the world, the group identities that matter most – the ones that people will kill and die for – are ethnic, religious, sectarian, or clan-based.  But because America tends to see the world in terms of nation-states engaged in great ideological battles – Capitalism vs. Communism, Democracy vs. Authoritarianism, the “Free World” vs. the “Axis of Evil” – we are often spectacularly blind to the power of tribal politics.  Time and again this blindness has undermined American foreign policy.

Kiyo’s Story: A Japanese-American Family’s Quest for the American Dream

Author: Kiyo Sato
Published: December 1, 2010
ISBN:156947866X
ISBN13: 9781569478660
Pages: 352

Kiyo’s father arrived in California determined to plant his roots in the land of opportunity after leaving Japan. He, his wife, and their nine American-born children labored in the fields together, building a successful farm. Yet at the outbreak of World War II, Kiyo’s family was ordered to Poston Internment Camp. This memoir tells the story of the family’s struggle to endure in these harsh conditions and to rebuild their lives afterward in the face of lingering prejudice. – Soho Press

World of Our Fathers

Author: Irving Howe

Published: October 1, 2005

ISBN: 0814736858
ISBN13: 9780814736852
Pages: 714

World of Our Fathers traces the story of Eastern Europe’s Jews to America over four decades. Beginning in the 1880s, it offers a rich portrayal of the East European Jewish experience in New York, and shows how the immigrant generation tried to maintain their Yiddish culture while becoming American. It is essential reading for those interested in understanding why these forebears to many of today’s American Jews made the decision to leave their homelands, the challenges these new Jewish Americans faced, and how they experienced every aspect of immigrant life in the early part of the twentieth century.

This invaluable contribution to Jewish literature and culture is now back in print in a new paperback edition, which includes a new foreword by noted author and literary critic Morris Dickstein. – New York University Press

 

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Recommended Videos

Sayu Bhojwani: Immigrant voices make democracy stronger

In politics, representation matters — and that’s why we should elect leaders who reflect their country’s diversity and embrace its multicultural tapestry, says Sayu Bhojwani. Through her own story of becoming an American citizen, the immigration scholar reveals how her love and dedication to her country turned into a driving force for political change. “We have fought to be here,” she says, calling immigrant voices to action. “It’s our country, too.” – TEDNYC

 

Luma Mufleh: Don’t feel sorry for refugee – believe in them

“We have seen advances in every aspect of our lives — except our humanity,” says Luma Mufleh, a Jordanian immigrant and Muslim of Syrian descent who founded the first accredited school for refugees in the United States. Mufleh shares stories of hope and resilience, explaining how she’s helping young people from war-torn countries navigate the difficult process of building new homes. Get inspired to make a personal difference in the lives of refugees with this powerful talk. – TED2017

 

Michael Rain:  What It’s Like to be the Child of Immigrants

Michael Rain is on a mission to tell the stories of first-generation immigrants, who have strong ties both to the countries they grew up in and their countries of origin. In a personal talk, he breaks down the mischaracterizations and limited narratives of immigrants and shares the stories of the worlds they belong to. “We’re walking melting pots of culture,” Rain says. “If something in that pot smells new or different to you, don’t turn up your nose. Ask us to share.” – TED Residency

Duarte Geraldino:  What we’re missing in the debate about immigration

Between 2008 and 2016, the United States deported more than three million people. What happens to those left behind? Journalist Duarte Geraldino picks up the story of deportation where the state leaves off. Learn more about the wider impact of forced removal as Geraldino explains how the sudden absence of a mother, a local business owner or a high school student ripples outward and wreaks havoc on the relationships that hold our communities together. – TED Residency

 

David Miliband: The Refugee Crisis is a Test of Our Character

Sixty-five million people were displaced from their homes by conflict and disaster in 2016. It’s not just a crisis; it’s a test of who we are and what we stand for, says David Miliband — and each of us has a personal responsibility to help solve it. In this must-watch talk, Miliband gives us specific, tangible ways to help refugees and turn empathy and altruism into action. – TED2017

 

Tan Le:  My Immigration Story

In 2010, technologist Tan Le took the TEDGlobal stage to demo a powerful new interface. But now, at TEDxWomen, she tells a very personal story: the story of her family — mother, grandmother and  – fleeing Vietnam and building a new life.  – TED^xWomen 2011

 

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Recommended Podcasts

Podcast: National Public Radio – Code Switch
Episode: Immigration Nation
Created: June 27 2018
Duration: 31 minutes and 14 seconds
Overview: Anti-immigrant sentiment is on the rise, and the prospect of mass deportation is in the news. But as much as this seems like a unique moment in history, in many ways, it’s history repeating itself.

 

Podcast: Bipartisan Policy Center – What You Need to Know on Immigration
Episode: DREAMers and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program
Created: Unknown
Duration: 17 minutes and 28 seconds
Overview: August 15 marks the five-year anniversary of former President Obama’s executive action “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals,” or DACA. In the first of our series of “What You Need to Know on Immigration” podcasts, BPC Press Secretary Jordan LaPier sits down to talk DACA and DREAMers with Director of Immigration and Cross-Border Policy, Theresa Cardinal Brown. Listen for an expert analysis on where the program stands after five years, what the administration and Congress are doing, the legal ramifications of the program, and more.

 

Podcast: Bipartisan Policy Center – What You Need to Know on Immigration
Episode: Immigration Enforcement under Trump
Created: Unknown
Duration: 27 minutes and 53 seconds
Overview: In the second podcast of our series, “What You Need to Know on Immigration” covers the contentious issue of enforcement. Jordan LaPier talks with Immigration Project Director Theresa Brown about priorities for deportation under President Trump and how they differ from those of the Obama administration, how increased apprehensions affect the overall deportation system, and what the apprehension trends at the border might indicate (or not indicate) about President Trump’s immigration policies (including the wall).

 

Podcast: Bipartisan Policy Center – What You Need to Know on Immigration
Episode: Temporary Visas
Created: Unknown
Duration: 17 minutes and 14 seconds
Overview: In episode three of What You Need to Know on Immigration, BPC’s Jordan LaPier and Theresa Brown discuss the legal immigration temporary visa system. They cover background on who uses temporary visas and how, the politics of limiting or expanding the temporary visa caps, what the administration and others are saying about merit-based visa systems, and the growing issue of visa overstays.

 

Podcast: Bipartisan Policy Center – What You Need to Know on Immigration
Episode: Sanctuary Cities
Created: Unknown
Duration: 19 minutes and 16 seconds
Overview: Our fourth episode of What You Need to Know on Immigration covers so-called “sanctuary cities” and their place in the politics of immigration. BPC’s Theresa Brown and Jordan LaPier cover what exactly a sanctuary city is; the relationship between state, local, and federal law enforcement on immigration; and legal challenges to sanctuary cities (such as the high-profile “Kate’s Law” that recently passed in the House of Representatives).

 

Podcast: Bipartisan Policy Center – What You Need to Know on Immigration
Episode: Immigration Reform
Created: Unknown
Duration: 23 minutes and 47 seconds
Overview: For our final installment of What You Need to Know on Immigration, BPC Immigration Director Theresa Brown and Press Secretary Jordan LaPier examine the question, “what ever happened to comprehensive immigration reform?” They discuss the failure of past comprehensive efforts and future opportunities for smaller reform pairings, the clash between policy and politics that makes compromise difficult, and the consequences of inaction on immigration.

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Recommended Peer Reviewed Articles

Click the title of each article to download it; your Net ID maybe required.

1. Everyday Violence, Structural Racism and Mistreatment at the United States – Mexico Border
2. More than Culture: Structural Racism, Intersectionality Theory, and Immigrant Health
3. Special Issue Introduction: Place, Migration, and Health
4. Special Issue Part I: “Deservingness” and the Politics of Health Care
5. Special Issue Part II: Illegalization and Embodied Vulnerability in Health
6. Disparity in Disability between Native-Born non-Hispanic White and Foreign-Born Asian Older Adults in the United States:  Effects of Educational Attainment and Age at Immigration

Click here to download a list above with additional details, including citations.

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