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Labor and Legality

An Ethnography of a Mexican Immigrant Network

Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz

Labor and Legality: An Ethnography of a Mexican Immigrant Network is an ethnography of undocumented immigrants who work as busboys at a Chicago-area restaurant. Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz introduces readers to the Lions, ten friends from Mexico committed to improving their fortunes and the lives of their families. Set in and around "Il Vino," a restaurant that could stand in for many places that employ undocumented workers, Labor and Legality reveals the faces behind the war being waged over "illegal aliens" in America. Gomberg-Muñoz focuses on how undocumented workers develop a wide range of social strategies to cultivate financial security, nurture emotional well-being, and promote their dignity and self-esteem. She also reviews the political and historical circumstances of undocumented migration, with an emphasis on post-1970 socioeconomic and political conditions in the United States and Mexico.

$29.99

Paperback

Published: 25 August 2010

184 Pages | 10 photos; 2 lc

5-1/2 x 8-1/4 inches

ISBN: 9780199739387

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Labor and Legality

An Ethnography of a Mexican Immigrant Network

Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz

Issues of Globalization

Description

Winner of the 2011 ALLA Book Award honorable mention!

Labor and Legality: An Ethnography of a Mexican Immigrant Network is an ethnography of undocumented immigrants who work as busboys at a Chicago-area restaurant. Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz introduces readers to the Lions, ten friends from Mexico committed to improving their fortunes and the lives of their families. Set in and around "Il Vino," a restaurant that could stand in for many places that employ undocumented workers, Labor and Legality reveals the faces behind the war being waged over "illegal aliens" in America. Gomberg-Muñoz focuses on how undocumented workers develop a wide range of social strategies to cultivate financial security, nurture emotional well-being, and promote their dignity and self-esteem. She also reviews the political and historical circumstances of undocumented migration, with an emphasis on post-1970 socioeconomic and political conditions in the United States and Mexico.

Labor and Legality is one of several volumes in the Issues of Globalization: Case Studies in Contemporary Anthropology series, which examines the experiences of individual communities in our contemporary world. Each volume offers a brief and engaging exploration of a particular issue arising from globalization and its cultural, political, and economic effects on certain peoples or groups. Ideal for introductory anthropology courses-and as supplements for a variety of upper-level courses-these texts seamlessly combine portraits of an interconnected and globalized world with narratives that emphasize the agency of their subjects.

Labor and Legality

An Ethnography of a Mexican Immigrant Network

Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz

Issues of Globalization

Preface
Introduction
Chapter One: Meet the Lions
A Dog's Life: Luis
I Want Respect at My Job: Rene
Meet the Lions
The Lions
Il Vino Buono
What Does a Busboy Do?
How Do The Lions Compare to Other Groups of Workers?
Chapter Two: Why is There Undocumented Migration?
Migration in the mid-20th Century: Papa Juan's Story
An Anthropology of Mexican Labor Migration to the U.S.
The Beginnings of Borders in North America
The Seeds of Globalization
The Roots Take Hold: The Breadbasket and the Bracero Program
Reaping the Harvest: The Political Production of "Illegal Immigration"
Politics of Marginalization
Politics of Labor Reproduction
Chapter Three: Jumping and Adjusting to Life Under the Radar
Migration: Chuy's Story
Life in León
Family Strategies
The Price of Crossing
Life Under the Radar: Papers
Life Under the Radar: Getting Adjusted
Changing Ideas of Home: Return Migration and Return-Return Migration
Chapter Four: Múy Unidos: Friends, Networks, and Households
Having Friends Makes Things Easier: Alejandro
Utilizing a Social Network: Finding Work
Money and Respect: Assessing Jobs and Bosses
Getting Paid and Managing Money
Utilizing a Social Network: Households
Chapter Five: Echándole Ganas: Working Hard
A Little Extra: Roberto
Extra Work, Flexible Work
A Hypothetical Day in the Work Life of an Il Vino Busboy
Learning the Ropes: Humor and Hazing
Working as a Team
Covering and Criticizing: Protecting the Group and Enforcing the Norms
Consent and Contradiction
Chapter Six: Los Número Uno: Identity, Dignity, and Esteem
They're good people: Lalo
Race, Class, and Illegality: Structural Dimensions of Mexican Immigrant Identity
The Dignity of Hard Work
On the Margins of the "American Dream"
Gendered Identity and the Honor of Family Men
Chapter Seven: Illegals and Criminals: Racism, Nationalism, and the Criminalization of Low-Wage Labor
We wetbacks are people who like to work: Leonardo
Myths and Realities
Illegals and Criminals
Toward an Anti-Nationalist, Anti-Racist Perspective on Immigration

Epilogue
Appendix: Interview Outline
Student Resource Guide
Notes
References
Index