Debating Immigration presents 18 original essays, written by some of the world's leading experts and preeminent scholars, that explore the nuances of contemporary immigration and citizenship affecting the United States and Europe. The volume is organized around the following themes: religion and philosophy, law and policy, economics and demographics, race and ethnicity, and cosmopolitanism. Critical questions addressed include: What accounts for the disconnect between public attitudes about immigration and the policies produced by elected officials? Why has the United States not developed a well-articulated public philosophy of immigration?
Contents
1. Introduction Carol M. Swain; Part I. Philosophy and Religion: 2. The disconnect between public attitudes and policy outcomes in immigration Peter H. Schuck; 3. Carved from the inside out: immigration and America's public philosophy on citizenship Elizabeth F. Cohen; 4. A biblical perspective on immigration James R. Edwards; 5. The moral dilemma of U.S. immigration policy: open borders vs. social justice? Stephen Macedo; Part II. Law and Policy: 6. The undocumented immigrant: contending policy approaches Linda Bosniak; 7. Good neighbors and good citizens: beyond the legal-illegal immigration debate Noah Pickus and Peter Skerry; 8. Alien rights, citizen rights, recent trends and future prospects Rogers M. Smith; Part III. Economics and demographics: 9. The borderline madness: America's counterproductive immigration policy Douglas S. Massey; 10. Immigrant employment gains and native losses 2000–2004 Steven Camarota; 11. Economics of immigration and the course of the debate since 1994 Peter Brimelow; 12. Immigration and future population change in America Charles Westoff; Part IV. Race: 13. The congressional black caucus and the impact of immigration on African-American unemployment Carol M. Swain; 14. Will Hispanic and Asian immigrants save America? Amitai Etzioni; 15. Strange bedfellows, unintended consequences and the curious contours of the immigration debate Jonathan Tilove; Part V. Cosmopolitanism: 16. Work, welfare, and migration incorporation in Europe and America Randall Hansen; 17. The politics of immigration and citizenship in Europe Marc Morjé Howard; Part VI. Concluding observations: 18. Concluding observations Nathan Glazer.
Reviews
"Carol Swain has drawn together a brilliant and insightful collection of essays on immigration. No matter what your views on immigration, you will find something to inform, educate, or engage."
Senator Bill Frist from Tennessee
"Just when I thought America could NEVER have a civilized discussion about immigration, alongcame this wonderful book. Thomas Jefferson would be so proud that many knowledgeable people spent time together wrestling with this highly charged political issue and sharing their thoughts inwriting. I wish I could mandate that NO ONE could debate about immigration until they read this book and passed the test!"
Pat Schroeder, former Congresswoman from Colorado
"This is a fascinating and distinctive contribution to our understanding of contemporary immigration issues. Most volumes on this subject are weighted heavily in the pro-immigration direction. Carol Swain, by contrast, has gotten contributions from scholars with a wide range of perspectives, and their work reveals many complexities and nuances that are too often ignored. A first-rate collection that should appeal to general readers as well as to scholars."
Stephan Thernstrom, Winthrop Professor of History, Harvard University and editor of the Harvard Encylopedia of American Ethnic Groups
"This timely volume, representing a range of ideological perspectives, features a number of powerful and thought provoking essays on the immigration debate. Carol M. Swain has pulled together a group of outstanding scholars and activists whose gripping arguments on immigration will be widely discussed and debated. I highly recommend this volume to anyone concerned about the politics of contemporary immigration."
William Julius Wilson, Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor Harvard University
"..touches upon important and pressing immigration policy issues. The book is an outstanding compilation."
John C. Blakeman, Law and Politics Book Review
"Debating Immigration is a collection of essays using different perspectives to argue that immigration is harmful for the United States." -Maria Chavez, Journal of American Ethnic History
Printer friendly version
Email a colleague