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Migrant Death In The Arizona Desert Summary

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Migrant Deaths in the Arizona Desert: La vida no vale nada has its subtitle from a 2008 conference with the same name: La vida no vale nada (Life has no worth) thus all the contributions in the book were presented at the conference. Despite the fact, that the conference took place a decade ago, the research and narratives conveyed in the articles remains highly relevant. The lack of development concerning migrant’s death in the Arizona – Sonora borderlands, makes this book just as relevant to read in 2018, as it was relevant to discuss at the conference in 2008. In this regard it is necessary to complement both the authors as well as the editors for compiling a broad range of contributions providing the reader with perspectives and insight …show more content…

Section two, Crossing, focusses on the risk and costs of crossing the border focusing on not only the physical risk and costs but also the economic and social costs, not only for those who die, but also for those who are caught and send back. The third section, Found Remains, Missing Graves, goes into details regarding death and disappearance of those who unsuccessful attempts to cross the desert. It contains both a grim tale of the remains found in the desert and a compelling one from those who simply disappear and the effects in has on the ones left behind not knowing. Like several other chapters, it relies both on narratives and statistical data to provide insight regarding those who seek information about disappeared family members and the rising death tolls. Section four takes on metaphors and how they are used to both humanize and dehumanize migrants and gives certain traits to the desert but exploring it from very different perspectives, newspapers and the bible. In the final section, Expressions From the Living Death, the exploration of texts is continued, but with focus on the right to live which is both stated in cultural expression through song and poetry before describing an alternative hip-hop dance performance preformed at the conference. The dance contains many of the experiences of crossing the border, which is told throughout the book, thus can be seen a reenactment of the books

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