M3
SJ21Write, at minimum, a 500-word post addressing at least one of the following leading questions for this week's module. Meaningful and substantive contributions will require 1.) that you carefully read (and reflect on) the material, and 2.) that you think about the arguments, evidence, and interpretations presented in the paper. Remember: You are required to include at least one direct quote from the readings to support your views.
1. Think of someone you know — a classmate, coworker, or neighbor — who has faced suspicion about their legal status (accurately or not). Using Flores & Schachter's findings to evaluate that situation you know about, what specific traits (national origin, occupation, accent, etc.) likely triggered that suspicion in the eyes of people? Explain why and how.
2. Consider a U.S.-born citizen who is repeatedly asked, "Are you here legally?" Why might this experience matter even though the person is legally a citizen? What does this tell us about the difference between legal illegality and social illegality?
3. Given this paper's findings, would policy efforts to reduce harm to immigrants (documented and undocumented alike) be better spent on (a) changing immigration law itself, (b) regulating media/political rhetoric about immigrants, (c) anti-bias training for gatekeepers like landlords/employers/police, or (d) something else entirely? Defend your ranking, and explain how the paper's findings support the intervention you have chosen.
Flores, R. D., & Schachter, A. (2018). Who are the “illegals”? The social construction of illegality in the United States. American Sociological Review, 83(5), 839-868.
11 days ago
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