Research Excercize #1

Topic: Mexican Immigration in America
Title: Violence and hope in a U.S.-Mexico border town
Author: Robert Joe Stout
Published: Long Grove, IL : Waveland Press, c2008

Summary: Violence and hope in a U.S.-Mexico border town is a book that points out the struggles of many immigrants that cross into the borders of the US. It uses resources such as personal interviews as well as newspaper articles. Going over 60 years of accounts, Robert Joe Stout shows the affects that the political system has had on the 3 million that have become full US citizens as well as those who have not.

Response: No one experience will be the same for everyone so it’s good that Stout has done his research comparing 60 years of different people with different stories. Many people like to generalize illegal immigration as a problem without looking at the pros and cons of having Mexican immigrants enter the US so it’s good to hear both sides of the story.

Further research: Like I said this book is great because it shows both sides so I think I should find some articles or books that argue for one side or the other. That way I can find out why people want stricter border control or don’t.