Making Immigrants in Modern Argentina

Julia Albarracín

Description

In Making Immigrants in Modern Argentina, Julia Albarracín argues that modern Argentina's selection of immigrants lies at the intersection of state decision-making processes and various economic, cultural, and international factors. Immediately after independence, Argentina designed a national project for the selection of Western European immigrants in order to build an economically viable society, but also welcomed many local Latin Americans, as well as Jewish and Middle Eastern immigrants. Today, Argentines are quick to blame Latin American immigrants for crime, drug violence, and an increase in the number of people living in shantytowns. Albarracín discusses how the current Macri administration, possibly emulating the Trump administration's immigration policies, has rolled back some of the rights awarded to immigrants by law in 2003 through an executive order issued in 2017. Albarracín explains the roles of the executive and legislative branches in enacting new policies and determines the weight of numerous factors throughout this process. Additionally, Albarracín puts Argentine immigration policies into a comparative perspective and creates space for new ways to examine countries other than those typically discussed.

Incorporating a vast amount of research spanning 150 years of immigration policies, five decades of media coverage of immigration, surveys with congresspersons, and interviews with key policy makers, Albarracín goes beyond the causes and consequences of immigration to assess the factors shaping policy decisions both in the past and in modern Argentina. This book will appeal to scholars, students, and general readers with an interest in immigration, democratization, race, history, culture, nationalism, Latin American studies, and representation of minorities in the media.

Sujets

• Public Policy
• Political Science
• Latin American
• HISTORY
• América del Sur
• Emigration
• South America
• Latin America
• World
• Caribbean
• Immigration

Informations

• Publié par: University of Notre Dame Press
• Date de parution: 31 mai 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780268107635
• Langue: English

Extrait

Making Immigrants in Modern Argentina
M AKING I MMIGRANTS IN M ODERN A RGENTINA
Julia Albarracín
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME PRESS
NOTRE DAME, INDIANA
University of Notre Dame Press
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
undpress.nd.edu
Copyright © 2020 by the University of Notre Dame
All Rights Reserved
Published in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Albarracín, Julia, author.
Title: Making immigrants in modern Argentina / Julia Albarracín.
Description: Notre Dame, Indiana : University of Notre Dame Press, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020007567 (print) | LCCN 2020007568 (ebook) | ISBN 9780268107611 (hardback) | ISBN 9780268107642 (adobe pdf) | ISBN 9780268107635 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Argentina—Emigration and immigration—Government policy.
Classification: LCC JV7442 .A47 2020 (print) | LCC JV7442 (ebook) | DDC 325.82—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020007567
LC ebook record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2020007568
This e-Book was converted from the original source file by a third-party vendor. Readers who notice any formatting, textual, or readability issues are encouraged to contact the publisher at [e-mail]
To my family, old and new.
CONTENTS
List of Figures
List of Tables
Acknowledgments
ONE . Introduction: Argentina as a Case Study and Theoretical Framework
TWO . Argentine Immigration Policies in Comparative Perspective, 1853–2017
THREE . Immigration Policies after the Reestablishment of Democracy, 1983–1989
FOUR . Immigration Policies during Menem’s Administration, 1989–1995
FIVE . Gridlock or Delegative Democracy? Congress and Immigration, 1983–1989
SIX . Delegative Democracy Revisited: Congress and Immigration, 1989–1999
SEVEN . Immigration and Immigration Policies in the 2000s
EIGHT . Conclusion

APPENDIX I . Legislation Included
APPENDIX II . Print Media Data
APPENDIX III . Questionnaire for Congresspersons and Interviews with Key Players
APPENDIX IV . House and Senate Bills and Other Decisions
Notes
References
Index
FIGURES
FIGURE 2.1. Proportion of Immigrants: Overall and from Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay (Bordering Countries), 1869–2010
FIGURE 3.1. National Origin of Established Bordering Immigrants in 1980 Compared to Recent Arrivals by 1980
FIGURE 4.1. National Origin of Bordering Immigrants in 1991 and New Arrivals 1992/1994
TABLES
TABLE 3.1. National Origin of the Foreign-Born Population in Argentina in 1980
TABLE 3.2. Total Number of Stories Coded by Year, Newspaper, and Origin of Immigration: 1983–1984 and 1987
TABLE 3.3. Topics in Headlines and Stories, by Year, Newspaper, and Type, in Percentages: 1983–1984 and 1987
TABLE 3.4. Instances Coded by Year, Newspaper, and Type, in Percentages and Absolute Numbers: 1983–1984 and 1987
TABLE 4.1. National Origin of the Foreign-Born Population in Argentina in 1991
TABLE 4.2. Total Number of Stories Coded by Year, Newspaper, and Origin of Immigration: 1992, 1993, and 1994
TABLE 4.3. Topics in Headlines and Stories, by Year, Newspaper, and Type, in Percentages: 1992, 1993, and 1994
TABLE 4.4. Instances Coded by Year, Newspaper, and Type, in Percentages and Absolute Numbers: 1992, 1993, and 1994
TABLE 5.1. Immigration Bills and Other Decisions Considered by the Argentine Congress: 1983–1989 (Absolute Numbers and Percentages)
TABLE 5.2. Composition of the Argentine House of Representatives by Political Party: 1983–1989
TABLE 5.3. Composition of the Argentine Senate by Political Party: 1983–1989

TABLE 5.4. Degree of Effectiveness of Each Chamber: 1983–1989 (Ratio of Decisions Approved versus Proposed)
TABLE 5.5. Immigration Decisions Proposed by Political Party: 1983–1989
TABLE 5.6. Immigration Decisions Approved by Political Party: 1983–1989
TABLE 5.7. Bills Introduced in the House: 1983–1989
TABLE 5.8. Bills Introduced in the Senate: 1983–1989
TABLE 5.9. Permissiveness of Immigration Legislation: 1983–1989
TABLE 5.10. Information Requests Approved: 1983–1989
TABLE 5.11. Information Requests Proposed Not Approved: 1983–1989
TABLE 5.12. Information Requests House: 1983–1989
TABLE 5.13. Information Requests Senate: 1989–1995
TABLE 6.1. Composition of the Argentine House of Representatives by Political Party: 1989–1999
TABLE 6.2. Composition of the Argentine Senate by Political Party: 1989–2001
TABLE 6.3. Immigration Bills and Other Decisions Considered by the Argentine Congress: 1989–1995
TABLE 6.4. Immigration Bills and Other Decisions Considered by the Argentine Congress: 1995–1999
TABLE 6.5. Degree of Effectiveness of Each Chamber: 1989–1995 (Ratio of Decisions Approved versus Proposed)
TABLE 6.6. Degree of Effectiveness of Each Chamber: 1995–1999 (Ratio of Decisions Approved versus Proposed)

TABLE 6.7. Immigration Decisions Proposed by Political Party: 1989–1995
TABLE 6.8. Immigration Decisions Proposed by Political Party: 1995–1999
TABLE 6.9. Bills Introduced in the House: 1989–1995
TABLE 6.10. Bills Introduced in the Senate: 1989–1995
TABLE 6.11. Comparison of the Provisions of Law 22439 (1981) with the Bills by Muñoz, Macedo, and Toto
TABLE 6.12. Bills Introduced in the House: 1995–1999
TABLE 6.13. Bills Introduced in the Senate: 1995–1999
TABLE 6.14. Information Requests House: 1989–1995
TABLE 6.15. Information Requests Senate: 1989–1995
TABLE 6.16. Information Requests House: 1995–1999
TABLE 6.17. Information Requests Senate: 1995–1999
TABLE 7.1. Foreign-Born Population in Argentina: 2001
TABLE 7.2. Argentine Legislators’ Beliefs about the Impact of Immigrants from Different Countries on Argentina
TABLE 7.3. Argentine Legislators’ Beliefs about the Impact of Immigrants from Different Countries on Argentina by Political Party
TABLE 7.4. Foreign-Born Population in Argentina: 2001 and 2010
TABLE 7.5. Temporary and Permanent Residencies Awarded 2011–2015
TABLE A.1. Immigration Policy Legislation and Regulations (1853–2017)
TABLE A.2. Immigration Agreements with European Countries
TABLE A.3. Immigration Agreements with South American Countries
TABLE A.4. Other Laws and Regulations
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book has had a long gestation, and I have accumulated many personal, intellectual, and financial debts along the way. My parents supported me unconditionally during the writing of my dissertation after they moved to Gainesville, Florida. My dad made me take two daily walks in Florida’s brutal summer weather and helped keep my brain oxygenated. And my siblings, Dolores and Carlitos, were always there for me.
More recently, Ben and the boys gave me the love and strength to engage in a round of updates and revisions. My in-laws, Diana and Tom, and friends in Macomb and at WIU made my life fuller and easier. Last, but not at least, Mac and Niko slept by my side and feet during my long hours of writing and reminded me of the perks of my beloved profession.
I’m also indebted to my brilliant committee members: Philip Williams, who taught me that social justice and academic endeavors are great companions; and Peggy Kohn and Aida Hozic, who pushed me to write more boldly.
Finally, I am indebted to the many institutions that financed my research, including the Tinker Foundation; the O. Ruth McQuown Scholarship and McLaughlin Dissertation Fellowship from the University of Florida’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; and the National Science Foundation Americas Program.
ONE
Introduction
Argentina as a Case Study and Theoretical Framework
Some 232 million people lived outside their countries of origin in 2013 (Leal, Rodríguez, and Freeman 2016, 1). Most advanced democracies face the dilemmas of immigration control as economic pressures push for openness to migration, and political, legal, and security concerns push for greater control (Hollifield, Martin, and Orrenius 2014). Further, these democracies are converging in their solutions as their governments grapple with common problems (Freeman 2006). These advanced democracies, however, are not alone. Argentina, as well as other, less advanced immigration-receiving countries, also struggles to control unwanted immigration and must answer several related questions: how many immigrants to admit, from where, and with what status (Hollifield, Martin, and Orrenius 2014)? This book explores how Argentina has answered these questions in the last two centuries.
In nations of immigrants such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, immigration is part of the founding myths. Argentina is a nation of immigrants, but not “just any immigrants” (Zolberg 2006, 1). Right after independence, Argentina designed a national project for which it sought to select European immigrants, especially from Northern Europe (Albarracín 2004). Argentina claimed to seek Western Europeans to build an economically viable, “civilized” society. In practice, though, it proved open to a great many more local, Latin Americans, as well as Jewish and Middle Eastern immigrants. Even though Argentina became widely open to immigrants from Latin American countries after 2003, their reception remains ambiguous. Today, Argentines are quick to blame them for crime, drug violence, and increasing the number of people living in shantytowns. Further, in 2017 the Mauricio Macri administration, maybe emulating President Trump’s immigration