2 Matching Annotations
  1. Feb 2023
    1. Whatever theinitial causes, once set in motion, immigration movements become self-perpetuating, so that today, as in the past, migration can be thought of asa process of progressive network building. ‘‘Networks developed by themovement of people back and forth in space,’’ Alejandro Portes and RubénRumbaut write, ‘‘are at the core of the microstructures that sustain mi-gration over time.’’

      I think it’s really cool that through each wave of immigration, the newer generations have a source and a structure to integrate themselves in! It’s really cool that with technology these communities transcend time and space and create pathways and opportunities.

    2. A century ago, manynative-born Americans viewed newly arrived eastern and southern Euro-pean immigrants with fear and loathing, as ‘‘repulsive creatures’’ who men-aced the very foundations of American civilization.4 These negative atti-tudes have long been forgotten in a haze of history, replaced by images thatglorify the past.

      I remember reading this in my US History class - there was a particular political cartoon I do not think I’ll ever forget: it depicted Chinese immigrants that were coming to the US as a rat infestation, underneath the floorboards, in the walls, coming out the cracks (the foundations). But honestly? I disagree with the notion that it’s been lost to the hazes of history - it has just changed targets. Like political cartoons that are depictions of the past, along with racism immigration policies that affected immigrants then and still make it difficult today, negative and xenophobic attitudes have remained ingrained in culture - from stereotypes to hate crimes to language barriers to little actions and big actions. The pandemic especially made it apparent.