A case of legality or racialization? Immigration policy in the U.S.
Issue Date
2011-12-31Author
Mukherjee, Sahana
Publisher
University of Kansas
Format
65 pages
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
M.A.
Discipline
Psychology
Rights
This item is protected by copyright and unless otherwise specified the copyright of this thesis/dissertation is held by the author.
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Show full item recordAbstract
The current research draws upon a liberation psychological (LP) perspective to examine the extent to which support for strict policies against undocumented immigration does not reflect neutral concern for law and order, but instead reflects Euro/Anglo-centric values and promotes interests of the White majority. Drawing upon an LP analysis, the present work considers the possibility that concern for legalities operate as a smokescreen not only for anti-immigrant sentiments, but also for anti-Mexican sentiments. Results from study 1 indicate an association between nationalism (an ethnocentric engagement with national identity) and ethnocentric enforcement bias--that is, support for punishment of law-breaking immigrants over law-breaking U.S. employers who knowingly employ undocumented immigrants. Further, this relationship is most evident for those who endorse a `culture' based construction of national identity, in terms of the ability to speak English. Study 2 expands upon the results of study 1 and indicates that rather than punish all undocumented immigrants equally, there is a preference for punishing Mexican immigrants over Canadian immigrants and perceiving this form of treatment as fair and legitimate. Once again, this relationship is most evident for those who endorse `culture' based constructions of national identity. Discussion focuses on the socially constructed nature of the legal framework and its role in promoting and re-producing systems of domination and oppression.
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- Psychology Dissertations and Theses [459]
- Theses [3901]
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