Troublesome Border, Revised Edition / Edition 2

by Oscar J. Martínez

Overview

“U.S. residents are largely unaware that Mexicans also view their northern border with concern, and at times even alarm. Border communities, such as Ciudad Juárez and Tijuana, have long been subjected to heavy criticism from Mexico City and other interior areas for their close ties to the United States, a country viewed with apprehension and suspicion by the Mexican citizenry.”

Oscar Martínez’s words may come as a surprise to those who associate the U.S. southern border with banditry, racial strife, illegal migration, drug smuggling, and official corruption—all attributed to Mexico. In Troublesome Border, now revised to reflect the dramatic changes over the last two decades, a distinguished scholar and long-time resident of the border area addresses these and other problems that have caused increasing concern to federal governments on both sides of the border.

This second edition of Troublesome Border has been updated and revised to cover dramatic developments since the book’s first publication in 1988 that have once again transformed the region in fundamental ways. Martinez includes new information on migration and drugs, including the extraordinary rise of violence traced largely to the rampant illegal drug trade; the devastating effects of U.S. Border Patrol “blockades” that have resulted in thousands of deaths; and the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780816525577
Publisher:	University of Arizona Press
Publication date:	09/28/2006
Edition description:	Second Edition, Revised, Second Edition, Revised
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Oscar J. Martínez's own family migrated from the interior of Mexico to El Paso in the 1950s. He is a Regents Professor of History at the University of Arizona.

Table of Contents

List of Maps
List of Tables
Preface
Introduction
1 Whither the Boundary?
2 Marked Frontier
3 Border Indians
4 Mexican Americans, Ethnic Confl ict, and Identity Issues
5 Norteños/as, Fronterizos/as, and Foreign Dependence
6 Growth, the Environment, and the Border Flow
7 Migration, Drugs, and Violence
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

This welcome book by an expert on the U.S.-Mexican border focuses on conflict between the two countries. Martinez's account differs from previous works that have used historical and political-geographical methodologies in that he uses a topical approach. His readable, concise overview includes the history of the frontier, the role of Indians and Chicanos on the border, the impact of provincial versus Mexico City views, and the consequences of ecological issues. Martinez discusses interesting parallels with other borders, and suggests establishment of a binational commission patterned after one used by France, Germany, and Switzerland to resolve border issues. Highly recommended for informed readers and specialists. Roderic A. Camp, Central Coll., Pella, Ia.

Library Journal