Overview

Because whiteness is not a given for Brazilians in the U.S., some immigrants actively construct it as a protective mechanism against the stigma normally associated with illegality. In The Borders of Privilege, Kara Cebulko tells the stories of a group of 1.5-generation Brazilians to show how their ability to be perceived as white—their power without papers—shapes their everyday interactions. By strategically creating boundaries with other racialized groups, these immigrants navigate life-course rituals like college, work, and marriage without legal documentation. Few identify as white in the U.S., even as they benefit from the privileges of whiteness. The legal exclusion they feel as undocumented immigrants from Latin America makes them feel a world apart from their white citizen peers. However, their constructed whiteness benefits them when it comes to interactions with law enforcement and professional advancement, challenging narratives that frame legality as a ""master-status."" Understanding these experiences requires us to explore interlocking systems of power, including white supremacy and capitalism, as well as global histories of domination. Cebulko traces the experiences of her interviewees across various stages of life, applying a ""power without paper"" lens, and making the case for integrating this perspective into future scholarship, collective broad-based movements for social justice, and public policy.

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9781503641532

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Reviews

""Merging sophisticated theory with compelling storytelling, The Borders of Privilege vividly illustrates how young Brazilian immigrants strategically emphasize race, class, and nationality to navigate an ever-expanding landscape of immigration exclusion. Kara Cebulko's impeccably researched and incredibly insightful analysis is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersections of immigration, illegality and race."" —Alexis Silver, Purchase College, State University of New York ""Politically timely and theoretically important, Power without Papers complicates sociological understandings of how legal status and race operate in immigrants' lives. Focused on white, middle class, undocumented Brazilians in the United States, this engaging book fills a conspicuous gap in the immigration scholarship. Beautifully written, and drawing from meticulous research and analysis, Power without Papers is vital reading for scholars, activists and policy makers concerned about immigration and justice."" —Leah Schmalzbauer, Amherst College

Author Information

Kara B. Cebulko is Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Providence College. She is the author of Documented, Undocumented and Something Else (2013).

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