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

这个博士论文研究改进项目将研究移民过程和哥伦比亚的经济和社会政治地理对移民和家庭成员具有不同公民身份或移民身份，或混合身份家庭的日常做法的影响。随着越来越多的移民在美国郊区定居，移民政策在地方一级的重新调整影响了估计1100万无证移民，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、文化场所营造和民族研究的理论，来考虑埃塞俄比亚不同移民社区日常航行实践的意义。这个研究项目集中在郊区居民提供的具体见解。调查结果将有助于更好地理解许多中西部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，对人类福祉的影响。作为博士论文研究改进奖，该项目将提供支持，使有前途的学生建立一个独立的研究生涯。博士生将使用混合方法来研究移民和经济的地方政治之间的关系，以及他们如何构建郊区社区的生活。具体而言，本研究探讨（1）移民问题如何塑造当地的经济振兴方法;（2）如何以及为什么一些移民和混合身份的家庭改变他们的日常做法，以浏览当地的情况。这些研究问题将通过对市理事会会议记录和新闻媒体来源的内容分析，参与者在当地文化活动和组织会议上的观察，与市政府官员和当地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，以及参与性的photovoice文件来回答。Photovoice将用于制作一本小册子，作为社区成员和地方官员的教育工具。该研究将在伊利诺伊州的芝加哥调查这些问题，并将提供新的见解，移民和混合身份的家庭的过程如何塑造当地的经济振兴项目在后工业郊区。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得支持的评估使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

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.