How Race Is Made in America: Immigration, Citizenship, and the Historical Power of Racial Scripts Volume 38 - Paperback

How Race Is Made in America: Immigration, Citizenship, and the Historical Power of Racial Scripts

This scholarly work examines the construction of race and citizenship in America through the lens of Mexican American experiences from 1924 to 1965. The study spans a transformative period in U.S. history—from the drastic reduction of immigration in 1924 to the abolition of many quotas in 1965—revealing how racial categories emerged and continue to shape contemporary perceptions.

Core Research Focus

Natalia Molina, Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity at University of Southern California and MacArthur Fellowship recipient, presents the concept of immigration regime—the legal, political, social, and cultural framework that defined racial categories during this pivotal era. The book demonstrates how these historical constructions continue to influence modern understanding of Mexican Americans, race, and ethnicity in the United States.

Racial Scripts Theory

The central theoretical contribution, racial scripts, advances the understanding that race is socially constructed through relational processes. This framework highlights how racialized groups are linked across time and space, with their experiences affecting one another. The theory demonstrates that racial scripts can be readily adopted and adapted to apply to different racial groups, revealing patterns in how racialization operates across diverse communities.

Interdisciplinary Approach

Drawing from legal documents, political records, social histories, and cultural sources related to immigration, this volume provides comprehensive analysis of how race operates as a social construct. The research methodology examines multiple influences that shape racial concepts while identifying common themes that prevail across different contexts and time periods.