Doctoral Dissertation Research: Economic and Socio-political Geographies of Immigration in Suburbia

这一博士论文研究改进项目将考察移民过程和郊区的经济和社会政治地理环境对移民和具有不同公民身份或移民身份的家庭或混合身份家庭的日常做法的影响。随着移民在美国郊区定居的人数不断增加，移民政策重新调整到地方层面，估计影响了1100万非法移民，对郊区城镇和混合身份家庭产生了重大影响。本研究将通过推进政治地理学、文化地理学和民族学研究的理论，来思考郊区不同移民社区日常导航实践的意义。这项研究项目集中在郊区居民提供的具体见解上。这些发现将有助于更好地理解中西部许多州移民人口的增加如何导致当地移民执法的不同方法，特别是在后工业化城市，这对人类福祉产生了影响。作为博士论文研究改进奖，该项目将为有前途的学生建立独立的研究生涯提供支持。这位博士生将使用混合方法来研究当地移民政治和经济之间的关系，以及它们是如何构成郊区社区的生活的。具体地说，这项研究考察了(1)移民问题如何塑造当地的经济振兴方法；以及(2)一些移民和混血家庭如何以及为什么改变他们的日常做法，以适应当地的背景。这些研究问题将通过对市议会会议记录和新闻媒体来源的内容分析、在当地文化活动和组织会议上的参与者观察、对市官员和地方领导人的关键线人访谈、对移民和混合身份家庭的深入半结构化访谈以及参与性照片语音文件来回答。将使用PhotoVoice制作一本小册子，作为社区成员和地方官员的教育工具。这项研究将在伊利诺伊州芝加哥调查这些问题，并将为移民和混合身份家庭如何塑造后工业化郊区的当地经济振兴项目提供新的见解。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This doctoral dissertation research improvement project will examine the effects that processes of migration and the economic and socio-political geographies of suburbia have on the daily practices of immigrants and families whose members have different citizenship or immigration statuses, or mixed-status families. As immigrants settle in increasing numbers throughout US suburbs, the rescaling of immigration policies to the local level affect an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants, with significant impacts on suburban towns and mixed-status families. This research will consider the significance of the everyday navigation practices of different migrant communities in suburbia by advancing theories in political geography, cultural placemaking, and ethnic studies. This research project centers on the specific insights offered by suburban residents. The findings will contribute to better understanding how the increase in the immigrant population across many midwestern states has led to divergent approaches in local immigration enforcement, particularly across post-industrial cities, with implications for human well-being. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this project will provide support to enable a promising student to establish an independent research career. The doctoral student will use a mixed methods approach to examine the relationship between the local politics of immigration and economics, and how they structure the lives of suburban communities. Specifically, this research examines (1) how the issue of immigration shapes local approaches to economic revitalization; and (2) how and why some immigrants and mixed-status families alter their everyday practices to navigate local contexts. These research questions will be answered through a content analysis of city council meeting notes and news media sources, participant observation at local cultural events and organizational meetings, key informant interviews with city officials and local leaders, in-depth semi-structured interviews with immigrants and mixed-status families, and participatory photovoice documentation. Photovoice will be used to create a booklet which will be used as an educational tool for community members and local officials. The study will investigate these questions in Chicago, Illinois, and will provide new insights into how processes of immigration and mixed-status families shape local economic revitalization projects in post-industrial suburbs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.