Coming of Age Between Two Nations

Before answering this discussion question, watch the film Life on the Line: Coming of Age Between Two Nations. There is a link to this film I will post. The video is only 26 minutes long. Our textbook explains that culture can be divided into two major categories: material and symbolic. Material culture includes physical objects, like clothing or buildings, that have been given a social meaning. Symbolic culture includes things like rules or customs that reflect the ideas and beliefs of a community. This discussion question asks you to consider the material and symbolic qualities of the U.S./Mexico border. QUESTIONS TO ANSWER: – Based on what you have seen in the film, how has the border (which is actually invisible) been made into a real material object that people see and experience? – The film shows us the struggles of Kimberly’s family, but it also shows us a political rally for people who are opposed to immigration and mentions Arizona’s SB 1070 law, which requires police in Arizona to check the immigration status of anyone who could be “reasonably suspected” of being in the U.S. illegally. Clearly, the border itself has different kinds of social meaning. Based on what you have seen, what do you think the border symbolizes or represents to those who oppose immigration? What does the border symbolize for people who want to migrate? – In the film, Kimberly observes: “The border is not just a place. It is the thinnest line between the lives of human beings.” What do you think she means in this statement? If borders are so thin, why do you think societies around the world, including the USA, take them so seriously?