Practices of Record Production and their Impact on the Administration of American Indian and Migrant Populations in the United States

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The research team investigate the manner in which individuals interact with official documents to construct official versions of their identity and status in response to regulatory requirements. The research examines two groups: 1) immigrants preparing naturalization documents, and 2) indigenous individuals preparing federal tribal recognition documents. The research offers insights into the practices that constitute state power and define its boundaries; citizenship; the role of regulation in identity-formation; and the cultural production of knowledge. The research plan involves participant observation, archival research and interviews at three selected sites of official documents in California. The research will highlight the ways that, in response to legal requirements, individuals use official documents to construct versions of their own identity that will help them secure their place in society -- a process that is especially important for those with marginalized status.