Empathy Crisis at the Southern Border
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Advisor
Thomas Loikith
Access Type
Event
Start Date
26-4-2024 12:45 PM
End Date
26-4-2024 1:44 PM
Description
America is a nation of immigrants. For over 200 years, waves of immigrants have settled in the United States and started new lives. Throughout that time, immigration has been controversial for many reasons. One aspect of anti-immigrant sentiment has been resentment towards new immigrants by those who immigrated to America in the past. Such resentment leads to anti-immigrant discrimination, mistreatment and violence that affects not only immigrants themselves but also society at large. It also leads to anti-immigrant government policy. What are the causes of such resentment towards immigrants? What can be done to limit anti-immigrant resentment and its negative effects on American society? This is a complex problem requiring interdisciplinary research. I analyze the problem through the disciplinary perspectives of law, history, and sociology. Using qualitative research methodology, I have read scholarly and other sources to determine relevant insights from each discipline. I then seek common ground between disciplinary insights and integrated common insights to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of the research problem. That fuller understanding leads me to suggest ways to understand the problem and its causes and to suggest resolutions of the research problem. I have not concluded my research yet. However, I tentatively conclude that anti-immigrant resentment results from the shifting of the “Overton Window”, so that more radical popular positions on immigration become the norm reflected by political leaders. Also, economic dissatisfaction on the part of established immigrant Americans leads to anger and resentment towards new immigrants, who are viewed as scapegoats.
Empathy Crisis at the Southern Border
America is a nation of immigrants. For over 200 years, waves of immigrants have settled in the United States and started new lives. Throughout that time, immigration has been controversial for many reasons. One aspect of anti-immigrant sentiment has been resentment towards new immigrants by those who immigrated to America in the past. Such resentment leads to anti-immigrant discrimination, mistreatment and violence that affects not only immigrants themselves but also society at large. It also leads to anti-immigrant government policy. What are the causes of such resentment towards immigrants? What can be done to limit anti-immigrant resentment and its negative effects on American society? This is a complex problem requiring interdisciplinary research. I analyze the problem through the disciplinary perspectives of law, history, and sociology. Using qualitative research methodology, I have read scholarly and other sources to determine relevant insights from each discipline. I then seek common ground between disciplinary insights and integrated common insights to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of the research problem. That fuller understanding leads me to suggest ways to understand the problem and its causes and to suggest resolutions of the research problem. I have not concluded my research yet. However, I tentatively conclude that anti-immigrant resentment results from the shifting of the “Overton Window”, so that more radical popular positions on immigration become the norm reflected by political leaders. Also, economic dissatisfaction on the part of established immigrant Americans leads to anger and resentment towards new immigrants, who are viewed as scapegoats.