Central American Migrations in the Twenty-First Century

Central American Migrations in the Twenty-First Century offers a compelling and comprehensive exploration of transnational migrations from Central America to the United States, as well as internal migrations within the region. The authors illuminate often overlooked experiences, including those of LGBTQIA+/Queer and Black communities in Central America, and they delve into understudied countries such as Honduras and Costa Rica. Through thirteen meticulously crafted chapters, the book synthesizes testimonies of Central American migrants using interview and data analysis, as well as reviews of cultural productions, capturing diverse Central American experiences while combatting mainstream notions of Central Americans as victims and criminals.The first part, Factum, utilizes social science methodologies such as data analysis on migration patterns and discussions of restrictive immigration policies to dissect various facets of migration nationally and regionally. From the experiences of Hondurans in New Orleans to critical analyses of political economies and dependency theory, the authors discuss themes of anti-immigrant, anti-Black, and queerphobic sentiments, as well as labor, globalization, and ethno-racial tensions, offering a poignant reminder of the systemic failures underlying migration from and within Central America. To explain these failures within the context of Central America, Hilary Goodfriend argues that “the imperialist U.S. state order has directed a racialized process of migrant expulsion and exclusion in order to adapt the shifting conditions of accumulation, a strategy that guarantees the continued subordination and dependent development of the region” (p. 54). This section provides significant historical context regarding how Central Americans migrations take place because of US interventionist consequences, including poverty, violence, and family separation.Visual and New Media, the subsequent section, amplifies the voices of the subaltern through mediums such as social media, political art, documentaries, and feature films. Starting with a social media account of Central American migration from Guatemala during the COVID-19 pandemic and moving to discussions on political art movements seen through the works of Regina José Galindo and Tania Bruguera and films such as Maria en Tierra de Nadie (2011), La Jaula de Oro (2013), and Sin Nombre (2019), the authors discuss themes of domestic violence, representation, and criminalization. For instance, Chapter 5, “Social Media as Testimonio: Guatemalan Collaborative Witnessing from COVID-19 to Migration,” by Andrew Bentley, highlights the role of social media in illuminating social injustices and exposing necropolitics—politics utilized by people in positions of power and authority to determine who lives and who dies. Necropolitics is a concept central to understanding the unique challenges faced by Central American migrants because of how these migrants are criminalized, devalued, and subsequently treated and restricted when they migrate. The authors in this section importantly note how popular culture attempts to define fixed ideas of Central American migrations, ultimately feeding into the US Central American imaginary, which has social, political, and economic consequences for these migrants. Thus, the authors advocate for amplification of Central American voices at the forefront, in testimony, and production.In Literary Representations, the final section, the authors explore literary works to further describe Central American migrations. In doing so, the authors enhance the Central American imaginary, once again noting the significance of representation through testimony. By drawing on literary pieces such as Yo tuve un sueño: el viaje de los niños centroamericanos a Estados Unidos, and El Verbo J, they delve into themes of queer migrant experiences, gender dynamics, and transnationalism, emphasizing the importance of viewing Central American literature through a transnational lens. For instance, in Chapter 10, “Sitios Equivocados: El verbo J's Queer Child,” Alicia V. Nuñez analyzes the queer child through their proposed notion of desubicacion, which describes something that acts inappropriately, someone who does not abide to societal descriptions or normative behavior. In doing so, Nuñez draws on literary testimonies to conceptualize an overlooked yet recently exasperated facet of Central American migration that centers queer migrant youth, whose migration journeys never end.As the field of Central American studies continues to evolve, the text advocates for exploration of diverse sources and methodologies, specifically those that draw on the testimonies of Central American migrants. Central Americans’ narratives work to honor migrant realities in ways that also serve as counternarratives determined to reimagine mainstream representations of Central Americans (which can be dehumanizing and appropriative). The text also explores the theme of precarity, noting that despite the comprehension the text offers, Central Americans’ migrations are nuanced, varying based on political climate, gender, class, nationality, and race. In essence, Central American Migrations in the Twenty-First Century serves as a vital resource for interdisciplinary scholars and Central American studies experts, providing nuanced insights into the contextual, systemic, cultural, and political dimensions of migration derived from authentic testimonios. The volume invites further discourse on the interplay of its diverse essays, making it an indispensable contribution to the field.