A Nation by Design

Name: A Nation by Design
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SKU: 9780674030749
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Immigration Policy in the Fashioning of America

By Aristide R. Zolberg

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Summary

A Nation by Design traces the complex history of American immigration policy from the colonial era to modern times. Aristide R. Zolberg reveals how immigration laws, far from being open and welcoming, have been carefully crafted and manipulated by local, state, and federal interests to shape the nation's demographic and political landscape. The book examines the fluctuating influence of business groups, labour unions, ethnic organisations and nativists in the ongoing effort to control who gets to settle in the United States. It also addresses how legal immigration, undocumented workers, and asylum seekers drive contemporary debates.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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A Nation by Design

$66⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers interested in political history, immigration studies, and American social policy, this book appeals to academics, researchers, policymakers, and informed general readers seeking a nuanced understanding of immigration's role in nation building.

Zolberg explores American immigration policy as a tool of nation building from the colonial period to the present. His book shows how America has struggled to shape the immigration process to construct the kind of population it desires.

A Nation by Design is the first comprehensive account of American immigration policy from the colonial period to the present. One of its great strengths is that it places American developments in a cross-national and comparative perspective. Professor Zolberg's breadth of knowledge and the range of his reading are remarkable. The book abounds in fresh insights and interpretations, comprehensiveness and richness of detail. This is a magnum opus. -- George Fredrickson, Stanford University A Nation by Design is certain to become a standard reference for immigration scholars and a must-read for graduate students in the disciplines-history, political science, and sociology-that produce the bulk of these scholars. It provides a genuinely new perspective on the creation and centrality of immigration policy, and as befits a new point of view, it sketches a landscape with features that have not been visible before. -- Richard Alba, State University of New York at Albany A Nation by Design is a monumental work by one of America's most distinguished and most historically minded social scientists. No other book on immigration possesses its sweep, nor does any other analyze the history of American immigration policy as comprehensively and insightfully as this one does. For at least a generation, A Nation by Design will become the starting point for anyone seeking to delve into this complex and important subject. -- Gary Gerstle, University of Maryland This beautifully realized and intellectually capacious analytical history moves the story of immigration policy from the side to the center of American political development. Deep, learned, and inventive, A Nation by Design profoundly alters what we know and how we think about demography and identity, membership and law, citizenship and belonging as it crosses the boundaries of disciplines, periods, and ideas. -- Ira Katznelson, Columbia University

Description

According to the national mythology, the United States has long opened its doors to people from across the globe, providing a port in a storm and opportunity for any who seek it. Yet the history of immigration to the United States is far different. Even before the xenophobic reaction against European and Asian immigrants in the late nineteenth century, social and economic interest groups worked to manipulate immigration policy to serve their needs.

In A Nation by Design, Aristide Zolberg explores American immigration policy from the colonial period to the present, discussing how it has been used as a tool of nation building.

A Nation by Design argues that the engineering of immigration policy has been prevalent since early American history. However, it has gone largely unnoticed since it took place primarily on the local and state levels, owing to constitutional limits on federal power during the slavery era. Zolberg profiles the vacillating currents of opinion on immigration throughout American history, examining separately the roles played by business interests, labour unions, ethnic lobbies, and nativist ideologues in shaping policy. He then examines how three different types of migration—legal migration, illegal migration to fill low-wage jobs, and asylum-seeking—are shaping contemporary arguments over immigration to the United States.

A Nation by Design is a thorough, authoritative account of American immigration history and the political and social factors that brought it about. With rich detail and impeccable scholarship, Zolberg's book shows how America has struggled to shape the immigration process to construct the kind of population it desires.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as an indispensable, richly researched, and balanced work, this book offers the most comprehensive examination of US immigration policy to date. Alan Wolfe of New Republic emphasises its depth and thoughtfulness, highlighting its potential to significantly inform ongoing and future discussions on immigration. The scholarship stands out for exploring beyond congressional statutes, considering local and state practices that have largely escaped prior analysis.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780674030749

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 September 2008

Country: United States

Imprint: Harvard University Press

Illustration: 22 graphs

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 32.0mm

Width: 162.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 1134g

Pages: 672

Collections

Aristide R. Zolberg Education & Reference History & Archaeology History & Military Non-Fiction Politics & Current Affairs

About the Author

Aristide R. Zolberg was Walter P. Eberstadt Professor of Political Science and University in Exile Professor, Emeritus, at the New School for Social Research.