First Advisor

Vicki Reitenauer

Date of Award

5-24-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Women's Studies and University Honors

Department

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Subjects

Foreign workers -- Mental health -- United States, Foreign workers -- United States -- Social conditions, Latin Americans -- United States, Boundaries

DOI

10.15760/honors.781

Abstract

Although much of the literature surrounding forced migration establishes the relationship in between mental distress and the process of forced migration, there is a gap in the literature which specifically illuminates the direct relationship undocumentation has to mental health and that shows mental health is a significant aspect of the "undocumented experience". Here, research questions grapple with the way Latin American migrant groups within the United States have been impacted by undocumentation and illuminate the direct relationship. A literature review and a feminist media analysis pose the two questions: 1) How has migrant disposability allowed the United States to absolve itself over responsibility in the ongoing Latin American migrant crisis? and 2) How are migrant disposability and resilience presented in the documentary narratives of Undocumented Latin Americans? Key theoretical issues that the research questions contend with are critical race theory, border politics, and state violence. These frameworks call urgency to an intersection that is often under-prioritized in feminist studies: citizenship and undocumentation. The hope is to build on feminist epistemology by filling the gap of missing stories and silenced voices of undocumented Latin American forced migrants residing in the U.S.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/29060

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