Learning Outcomes
After completing the activities in this unit, students should:

• be able to compare and contrast the different forces driving rural-to-urban migration within Latin American countries and from Latin American countries to the United States;
• have a deeper understanding of and sensitivity to the immigrant experience;
• be aware of the linkages and interactions among processes operating at numerous geographic scales and have developed an understanding of how abstract policies and issues translate into real and concrete personal experiences; and
• understand the extent to which global economic restructuring varies in different places and how the encroachment of market relations threatens native lands and peoples.

Activity 2.1:  The Push and Pull of America:  Migration Trends in the US	-- data assessment and interpretation, critical reading of text, and group discussion
Activity 2.2:  Understanding the Immigrant Experience	-- a guest panel of recent migrants relating their experiences, histories, and stories
Activity 2.3:  Images of Latin America	-- analysis of stereotypes of Latin America in text and visual images, class discussion
Activity 2.4:  Continent on the Move	-- analysis of a case study, critical film comprehension, and class discussion
Activity 2.5:  What’s at Stake? --  It’s not just a matter of "moving"	-- library research, case study analysis, essay  writing, and group discussion

 

Suggested Readings

The following readings accompany the activities for this unit. Choose those readings most appropriate for the activities you select and those most adequate for the skill level of your students.

• Unit 2: The Role of Migration in Urbanization

Part 1: Structural Forces Behind Migration
Part 2: Local Experiences: A Closer Look
• All students should read the background information for Unit 2. Because of the length and challenging nature of this text, we suggest assigning the background text for this unit in two separate sections (Part 1 and Part 2). Activities for this unit cover concepts found in both sections; thus both should be read by all students.
• Frey, William H. 1995. Immigration and internal migration -- ‘Flight’ from US metro areas: Toward a new demographic balkanization. Urban Studies 32 (May).
• This article accompanies Activity 2.1 and provides many of the data tables needed for the analysis and discussion in the activity.
• Sassen, Saskia. 1992. Why migration?" NACLA Report on the Americas, 26,1 (July): 14-19.
• Defreitas, Gregory. 1994. Fear of foreigners: Immigrants as scapegoats for domestic woes. Dollars and Sense (January/February): 8-9, 33-35.
• The Sassen and Defreitas articles provide additional background material for the discussion in Activity 2.1. They can be assigned to the class or read by the instructor to help lead the discussion and highlight key issues.
• Linden, Eugene. 1991. Lost tribes, lost knowledges. Time (September 23): 46-54.
• Trueheart, Charles and Dennis McAuliffe. 1995. Indians demand power, economic benefits as free markets sweep the hemisphere. The Washington Post (September 11): A1.
• The articles from Time and The Washington Post are easy to read and provide background information for students before they begin their research for the essay assignment in Activity 2.5.

Skills

• assessing and interpreting data, tables, and figures
• group discussion

• Suggested reading: Frey (1995) and accompanying tables and figures
• Additional readings for the instructor: Sassen (1992); Defreitas (1994)

Tasks
In this activity, students begin to understand the processes behind what Frey (1995) calls the "new urban revival" in the United States by looking at data that pinpoint specific cities’ and states’ immigration and emigration rates by sub-groups based on race.

Divide the class into groups of three or four students and ask them to look at the various tables, maps, and figures from Frey (1995) that depict migration trends in the US. (The tables and figures could not be reproduced in this module owing to copyright costs, so allow sufficient time to obtain the article.) You can either provide the figures to students as handouts or put them on an overhead transparency and show them to the class as a whole.

You can conduct this brief activity in a number of different ways: (1) each group can be assigned one metropolis of the US (make sure it is one that shows up in the tables and/or figures in Frey 1995); (2) each group be assigned a "racial" group; or (3) each group could be assigned a specific table or figure and asked to interpret it. For each option, ask each group to consider some specific questions related to their assigned figures; these will vary according to how they were divided, but some possibilities are listed below. For all groups, students should consider how global change is related to the migration patterns they see.

• In general, where are international immigrants moving to? Why do you think this is so? (Think about the geographical locations, the different amenities, and/or the economic opportunities that these places have to offer.)
• In general, where are internal (domestic) migrants moving to? Where are they coming from? What could be some reasons for these trends?
• What could be some reasons that Iowa, Michigan, or Louisiana are experiencing high rates of out-migration? (Refer to Figure 1 in Frey 1995.) Why are Washington, Arizona, and Florida experiencing high rates of in-migration?
• Looking at the data for your particular city, take note of its trends in terms of migration: is it experiencing greater in-migration or out-migration? What groups are moving in and what could be some reasons?

You can also use the article by Sassen (1992) to broaden the discussion or for the data she provides that break down, by country and world region, who is immigrating to America (see especially p.16, "The Numbers" box). This article supports the criticism of approaching migration as an individual, rationally made choice without considering historical, and more recent "globalized" ties (as discussed in Unit 2 Background Information). You can either read the article yourself to help you guide the discussion or ask students to read it as homework before the class discussion.

This activity works well as preparation for Activity 2.2 because students will have a better sense of the forces behind migration and will be better prepared to ask questions of the panel members.
 
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Activity 2.2:  Understanding the Immigrant Experience

Goals
Students learn first-hand about the issues that many immigrants face.

Skills

• active listening
• asking sensible questions
• critical analysis of the socioeconomic category of "immigrant"

• 3-4 volunteers to speak to the class about migration issues
• Table and chairs to seat the panel in front of the room

Tasks
There is often no better way for students to learn than by hearing directly from someone who has had personal experience with a particular issue. Students are often riveted by the stories/testimony from guest speakers, and they often recall such information much later in essay exams or during class discussions.

Assemble a panel of two to four people to speak with your class on the subject of immigration. The panel can be particularly interesting if you are able to secure a commitment from (1) a person who works at an agency for immigrants, (2) a recent immigrant, and (3) an immigrant who has been in the country substantially longer. In this way, students can get a feel for the different kinds of issues facing immigrants at different stages, put a human face on the issue to help remove stereotypical images and conceptions, and hear first-hand from a person who knows the kinds of obstacles immigrants face.

The easiest way to find people willing to speak to your class is to contact your university community service liaison office or internship clearing house. If neither of these exist on your campus, try contacting a few community groups or churches in your area. Groups that work with farm workers on various issues (unionizing, improving conditions, etc.) are often good places to consider because of the large number of immigrant farm workers. Alternatively, most classes have some immigrant students, either first generation immigrants or descendants of recent immigrants whom you can ask to share their experiences during the panel.

Be sure to give your speakers at least two weeks notice and provide them with an overview of the subjects the class has been studying, the issues that they may want to speak about, and their time limit. You may need a translator for the presentation.

Ask your students to take notes during the presentations and to ask questions of the speakers. Leave sufficient time at the end of the presentations for questions and discussion.

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Activity 2.3:  Images of Latin America

Goals
Students examine images of Latin Americans in popular media and consider how these images affect perceptions of people from the region. This activity is intended to complement Activity 2.2.

Skills

• library research
• critical analysis of popular media

• Student Worksheet 2.3
• access to library and popular media sources

Tasks
Ask students to find two articles and two visual images (i.e., advertisements, newspaper photos, news video) that have Latin America(ns) as their subject. Using these materials, students answer the questions below in a one- to two-page essay.

1. What are the subjects of the stories? What angle does the author use? What is emphasized in the headlines?
2. Where is the article located within the magazine, journal, or newspaper? What information is presented early in the article and what information is presented later? What do you think of this positioning and formatting?
3. What messages do the visual images convey? How is this done?
4. In all the materials, what is the overall image of Latin America(ns)? Is it positive or negative? Where does this perception come from and what role does it serve?

• Our systems of representation have roots in the colonial period that have created "dominant and dominated identities" (Harrison 1995, p. 287). These identities continue to this day and help lend a sense of superiority to Western knowledge and experience.
• Our teaching of the Third World often reinforces -- knowingly or not -- the idea that in the process of development, there are "winners" and "losers" -- the Third World is a loser or victim and, as such, is inferior to the Western world (Harrison 1995, p. 285).
• We should consider the positionality of the author or creator of texts, maps, advertisements, and articles.
• We should broaden students’ understanding of the multiple identities of Third World people -- that is, an individual’s identity and position can exist within a complex series of interconnecting situations (Harrison 1995, p. 287).

• Homogenizing peoples from Cuba, Mexico, El Salvador, by labeling them as "Hispanic" or "Latin" obscures the rich cultural diversity of the area and denies place-specific identities and experiences.
• Ethnocentrism or labeling, interpreting, and understanding Latin America in terms of our worlds, categories, belief systems, and values. If a society, individual, or culture doesn’t conform to our norms, we may feel justified in "correcting" it.
• Othering or dualizing "Us"/ "not Us," superior/inferior can create a paternalizing relationship.

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Activity 2.4:  Continent on the Move

Goals
Students see how a number of concepts and processes highlighted in the background information of the module play out in a specific location (Mexico). Students are exposed to the structural forces behind the decision to migrate and the disjuncture between migrants’ city life and preconceived notions of urban opportunities.

Skills

• case study analysis
• critical film comprehension

• Student Worksheet 2.4
• Film: Continent on the move: Migration and urbanization (Mexico)*

Tasks
This well-produced, engaging 1993 film showcases migration as "the most important process shaping the region [of Latin America] today." The film has obvious connections to the background information of the module including the increasing inability to live a productive life in the countryside, the debt crisis, preparations for free trade, and women’s roles in export manufacturing. It also introduces some concepts and scenarios that will be highlighted in Unit 3 (e.g., the informal economy, the realities of city life, etc.). With the help of some guiding questions and subsequent discussion, students are encouraged to think about the importance of geographical scales on collective and individual actions, the role of individual agency within urban and rural settings, and how the portrayal of hard-working Mexicans might conflict with US stereotypes.

Provide students with a copy of Student Worksheet 2.4 prior to the movie. The questions on the worksheet are designed to prepare students for a discussion of the film, to give them time to think a bit about what they saw, and to give them something to look at during the discussion in order to refresh their memories. It also provides a handy study guide when the time comes for midterms or finals. You might consider telling students that they will be asked to hand in their responses; this might encourage them to take the movie a little more seriously and to respond completely to the questions. This strategy is optional.

If your class meets during a standard 50 minute period, the film will require an entire class period to show. (Because the film is 60 minutes long, you may have to cut the film short, ask students to stay a little longer, or show the remaining 10 minutes of the film during the next class period.) Ask students to complete the student worksheet as homework and use the beginning of the next class period to discuss the film and their responses to the questions.
 

*To order the film Continent on the Move, call 1-800-LEARNER.  The movie is #3 in the series entitled Americas, funded by the Annenberg/CPB Collection.  It was produced by WGBH/Boston and Central Television Enterprises for Channel 4 in the UK.  Cost to purchase is $29.95 (they do not rent films).  ISBN: 1-55946-744-4.  Running time:  60 minutes.

 
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Activity 2.5:  What's at Stake?  -- It's not just a matter of "moving"

Goals
Students understand the effects of rural restructuring and resource extraction on native peoples by examining case studies on native struggles over land claims and self-determination.

Skills

• library research
• critical reading comprehension
• case study analysis
• essay writing
• group discussion

• Student Worksheet 2.5
• Supporting Material 2.5
• Suggested reading: Linden (1991)
• Suggested reading: Trueheart and McAuliffe (1995)

Tasks

Part I
Because the Unit 2 Background Information provided a generalized treatment of the loss of native knowledge with the encroachment of rural restructuring and resource extraction, this activity encourages students to find case studies that detail some of the struggles occurring today over native land claims and issues of self-determination.

Divide the class into two large groups; one-half of the class will be responsible for finding case studies from Latin America, while the other half will be responsible for finding cases from the US and Canada (or any MDC for that matter). This insures that North-South parallels can be seen and shows that neoliberal restructuring is not limited to Third World regions affected by the debt crisis. Ask students to read the two suggested readings (Linden 1991; Trueheart and McAuliffe 1995) as homework to gain some background information. Then ask students to find one or two articles that describe a struggle between a specific native group and a government agency, a multinational corporation, or an international institution like the IMF or the World Bank. You can provide a list of native communities that students can choose from which allows you to select indigenous struggles that are appropriate for this activity (see Supporting Material 2.5 for a list of native struggles and other suggested resources) or you can let students choose their own case study which encourages them to fine-tune their library and research skills. Because students might get tribe names from either of their two required readings, you can declare these "off-limits" to prevent everyone from choosing them. The success of the group discussion in Part II depends on having a wide variety of case studies to discuss and analyze.

Once the students have chosen their native group, they will write a two-page essay for homework based upon the questions found in the student worksheet. (Another option is to have students answer the questions on the worksheet in several paragraphs for each question.) This activity prepares students for Part II in which students discuss and analyze their individual case studies. Give students a minimum of five days to work on the essay. (Less time may be needed if students are asked simply to answer the questions directly rather than to construct an essay.)

Part II
In this part of the activity, students share the information they discovered through their research and make cross-border and cross-regional comparisons of native struggles against market incorporation of resources and land. The discussion should highlight the fact that although all places and peoples have been affected by economic globalization, this process of incorporation varies by place. With the help of some guiding questions, students can begin to see how such native/environmental struggles operate at various geographic scales to garner attention and support.

After students have completed their research and their essays, use one class period for a class discussion. Begin by dividing the class into groups of four to six students, with one-half of each group composed of students who looked at Latin American cases and the other half of students who looked at North American cases. Once in their groups, students will briefly summarize what they discovered about the native community they researched (i.e., Where? What issues? How did the native group address the issue?). Ask each group to appoint a note-taker to keep track of the similarities, differences, and common themes that unfold during the group discussion. Once they have considered parallels and differences, ask the groups to consider the questions on Part II of the student worksheet (also listed below):

1. Given each of your case studies, what strategies were used to confront the issues/problems?
2. Which strategies seemed to work best in terms of gaining the most attention or affecting some sort of change?
3. Of the "successful" strategies, what enabled the groups to gain access to some kind of support? Why?
4. What might explain the failure of the less successful strategies?
5. At what scale were the strategies pitched? other local tribes? international agencies? the national government? That is, where did the help come from (if indeed the community sought outside help)?

• It is likely that at least one group will indicate that gaining access to support for a native community often requires the help of a Caucasian person, a person with an "authority" identity, and/or an international agency (i.e., Randy Borman working with the Cofan of Ecuador, the rock musician Sting helping the Kayapo of Brazil, and "Subcomandante Marcos" being the spokesman for the Chiapan Zapatista rebels). What does this say about how we (the rest of the world) view the legitimacy and relevance of native claims and struggles? The support of these "authorities" can be seen as doubled-edged: on the one hand, the support is probably welcome in that it provides access, attention, and financial/political support, but on the other hand, it still discounts native knowledge and natives’ ability to speak for themselves.
• Ask students to think about the ways that global economic restructuring has worked through dominant ways of thinking about native ethnicity. Native knowledge, ways of life, and cultures are discounted or considered irrelevant in the modern world; thus, ethnicity provides the rationale for moving "forward" without thinking "what’s at stake." Because natives are often considered "backwards," "uncivilized," or "impediments to development," modernization attempts are easier to rationalize.
• Finally, point out or ask students to comment on the agency involved in these struggles. Too often students think of Third World inhabitants as powerless victims. The very fact that they researched numerous case studies of native struggles against market incorporation should debunk this myth.