Osmotic Borders: Thinking Locally, Thinking Globally About the Causes and Effects of Labor Migration

Authors

Roberto L. Corrada, University of DenverFollow

Publication Date

Fall 1-1-2002

Document Type

Article

Organizational Units

Sturm College of Law

Keywords

Migration, Latina, Latino, Midwest, Mexico, Sylvia Lazos, Professor Lazos, Donna Maeda, Professor Maeda, International, LatCrit, Migration, Borders

Abstract

The Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus defines osmosis both as "any process by which something is acquired by absorption," and as a biological cellular function by which solvents are absorbed through semipermeable partitions. The two articles by Professor Sylvia Lazos and Donna Maeda, which both deal with the causes and effects of labor migration, though on different levels and involving different populations, challenge traditional notions of the physical and metaphysical borders between nation-states.

In "Latina/o-ization" of the Midwest: Cambio de Colores, Professor Sylvia Lazos takes a close look at the increasing migration and presence of Latinas/os in the Midwest, particularly Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri, where the Latina/o population has more than doubled since the last census in 1990. After Professor Lazos's regionalized focus on specific causes and effects of Latina/o migration from Mexico to the Midwest, Donna Maeda attempts to detail causes and effects of Filipina migration in the more global context.

The Lazos and Maeda articles allow us to think both locally and globally about the causes and especially the effects of labor migration across international borders. Both articles reveal the semipermeable nature of borders, which exist solidly or malleably as dictated by internal nation-state economic realities. However, the articles also possess solutional elements that have potential for transforming status quo discourse, thus embracing the programmatic side of the LatCrit movement. Osmotic absorption of labor by semipermeable nation-states will continue to pose challenges to basic human rights. Critical scholarship must continue to make this process visible and to seek transformation of it.

Rights Holder

Roberto L. Corrada, Berkeley La Raza Law Journal

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

5 pgs

File Size

343 KB

Publication Statement

Copyright held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

This article was originally published as Roberto L. Corrada, Osmotic Borders: Thinking Locally, Thinking Globally about the Causes and Effects of Labor Migration, 13 Berkeley La Raza L.J. 311 (2002).

Volume

13

First Page

311

Last Page

315

Recommended Citation

Roberto L. Corrada, Osmotic Borders: Thinking Locally, Thinking Globally about the Causes and Effects of Labor Migration, 13 Berkeley La Raza L.J. 311 (2002).