Defining immigrant newcomers in new destinations: symbolic boundaries in Williamsburg, Virginia

Abstract

This article examines media representations of immigration in Williamsburg, Virginia, a 'new immigrant destination' in the USA. Through a content analysis of coverage in Williamsburg's local newspaper, we explore how reporters, columnists and readers draw on nationally and internationally circulating discourses to produce public interpretations of immigration issues and construct symbolic boundaries between and among in-groups and 'others' in the community. 'National boundaries drawn locally' captures how media actors use nationally recognizable frames to interpret local issues and define the parameters of community and national belonging. 'Localized symbolic boundaries' take their meanings from place-based, cultural understandings, specific economic conditions and demographics in the local setting. Newspaper discussions in Williamsburg distinguish between 'deserving' foreign student workers (primarily from Eastern Europe and Asia) and 'undeserving', racialized, Latino 'others'. Our analysis advances theories of boundary construction and holds implications for the politics of belonging more generally in other immigrant-receiving contexts.

Apathy and Antipathy: Media Coverage of Restrictive Immigration Legislation and the Maintenance of Symbolic Boundaries

“…Extant research on media coverage of immigrants and immigrant‐ethnic groups such as the Latino community has explicitly and implicitly examined symbolic boundaries surrounding individuals based on their immigration status (Branton and Dunaway , , ; Brown ; Dunaway et al. ; Flores ; McConnell ; McElmurry ; Santa Ana ; Sohoni and Mendez ; Sohoni and Sohoni ; Stewart et al. ; Yukich ).…”

“…The media reinforce distinctions between immigrants and nonimmigrants in coverage of topics beyond legislation, as illustrated in prior studies. Quantitative research tends to investigate the causes and consequences of “positive” and “negative” coverage of immigration (Branton and Dunaway , , ; Dunaway, Branton, and Abrajano ), while qualitative research focuses largely on negative framing of immigration, examining the processes behind and implications of such coverage (Brown ; Chavez 2013; Flores ; McConnell ; McElmurry ; Sohoni and Mendez ; Stewart, Pitts, and Osborne ; Stewart ). We advance the literature on media portrayals of immigration in two ways.…”

“…This is a meaningful contribution because the media play a role in shaping attitudes and actions toward immigrants (Dunaway et al. ; Padín ; Sohoni and Mendez ; Sohoni and Sohoni ) and immigration policy is among the major sites that produce and shape symbolic boundaries between immigrants and nonimmigrant groups (Gulasekaram and Ramakrishnan ; Hero ; Massey and Sánchez ; Saito ). Second, we analyze coverage of “positive” and “negative” immigration frames—those that criticize and endorse restrictive legislation—and those in between.…”

Boundary Work to Conduct Business as Usual: Interaction at the Boundary Between the Affected Organization and Emergency Responders

“…Boundaries may take a variety of forms. They may be internal (Liljegren, 2008) as well as external (Gieryn, 1983), social (Kvarnl€ of & Johansson, 2014) or symbolic (Sohoni & Mendez, 2014), material (Hensel, 2011) or spatial (Fleming & Spicer, 2004). Because I am interested in the interaction between a temporary workplace situated in a permanent workplace, social boundaries are of the most interest to me here.…”

Destination Choice of the Newly Arrived Immigrants to the U.S. from 2000 to 2005–2007: A Multivariate Explanation for Immigrants from Top Source Countries

“…Many of these studies use states as the geographic unit of analysis, most likely reflecting the comparative lack of data availability at smaller spatial scales. Although some researchers, mostly geographers, have focused on specific cities that have seen an increase in immigrant numbers or increased immigrant diversity (see Singer et al 2001;Sohoni and Mendez 2012;Takenda and Osirim DESTINATION CHOICE FOR IMMIGRANTS 513 2010), there is still limited analysis at the metropolitan level (exceptions include Newbold 2004;Singer 2004).…”