Unwanted

Italian and Jewish Mobilization against Restrictive Immigration Laws, 1882–1965

By Maddalena Marinari | Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

About the book

In the late nineteenth century, Italians and Eastern European Jews joined millions of migrants around the globe who left their countries to take advantage of the demand for unskilled labor in rapidly industrializing nations, including the United States. Many Americans of northern and western European ancestry regarded these newcomers as biologically and culturally inferior — unassimilable — and by 1924, the United States had instituted national origins quotas to curtail immigration from southern and eastern Europe. Weaving together political, social, and transnational history, Maddalena Marinari examines how, from 1882 to 1965, Italian and Jewish reformers profoundly influenced the country’s immigration policy as they mobilized against the immigration laws that marked them as undesirable.

Strategic alliances among restrictionist legislators in Congress, a climate of anti-immigrant hysteria, and a fickle executive branch often left these immigrants with few options except to negotiate and accept political compromises. As they tested the limits of citizenship and citizen activism, however, the actors at the heart of Marinari’s story shaped the terms of debate around immigration in the United States in ways we still reckon with today.

Editions of Unwanted

Hardcover
ISBN 9781469652924
Paperback
ISBN 9781469652931
EBook
ISBN 9781469652955
EBook
ISBN 9781469652948
EBook
ISBN 9798890856210
PDF
ISBN 9798890856203

Read an Excerpt

In the late nineteenth century, Italians and Eastern European Jews joined millions of migrants around the globe who left their countries to take advantage of the demand for unskilled labor in rapidly industrializing nations, including the United States. Many Americans of northern and western European ancestry regarded these newcomers as biologically and culturally inferior — unassimilable — and by 1924, the United States had instituted national origins quotas to curtail immigration from southern and eastern Europe. Weaving together political, social, and transnational history, Maddalena Marinari examines how, from 1882 to 1965, Italian and Jewish reformers profoundly influenced the country’s immigration policy as they mobilized against the immigration laws that marked them as undesirable.

Strategic alliances among restrictionist legislators in Congress, a climate of anti-immigrant hysteria, and a fickle executive branch often left these immigrants with few options except to negotiate and accept political compromises. As they tested the limits of citizenship and citizen activism, however, the actors at the heart of Marinari’s story shaped the terms of debate around immigration in the United States in ways we still reckon with today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Unwanted about?

In the late nineteenth century, Italians and Eastern European Jews joined millions of migrants around the globe who left their countries to take advantage of the demand for unskilled labor in rapidly industrializing nations, including the United States. Many Americans of northern and western European ancestry regarded these newcomers as biologically and culturally inferior — unassimilable — and by 1924, the United States had instituted national origins quotas to curtail immigration from southern and eastern Europe. Weaving together political, social, and transnational history, Maddalena Marinari examines how, from 1882 to 1965, Italian and Jewish reformers profoundly influenced the country’s immigration policy as they mobilized against the immigration laws that marked them as undesirable.

Strategic alliances among restrictionist legislators in Congress, a climate of anti-immigrant hysteria, and a fickle executive branch often left these immigrants with few options except to negotiate and accept political compromises. As they tested the limits of citizenship and citizen activism, however, the actors at the heart of Marinari’s story shaped the terms of debate around immigration in the United States in ways we still reckon with today.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Unwanted?

Society and Social Sciences > Politics and government > Political science and theory

Where can I read a sample of Unwanted?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469652924

How long is Unwanted and how many pages does it have?

Unwanted has 280 page(s)

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Unwanted?

Maddalena Marinari

Who is the Publisher of the book Unwanted?

The University of North Carolina Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Unwanted is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469652924) and paperback(ISBN 9781469652931) and ebook(ISBN 9781469652955) and ebook(ISBN 9781469652948) and ebook(ISBN 9798890856210) and pdf(ISBN 9798890856203)

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Where can I buy Unwanted?