On the Border Society and Culture between the United States and Mexico

by Wood, Andrew Grant; Arbeláez, María S.; Arreola, Daniel D.; de Baca, Juan Cabeza; de Baca, Vincent Cabeza; Bry, Travis Du; Hayman, Josiah McC.; Macías-González, Víctor Manuel; Pilcher, Jeffrey M.; Schantz, Eric Michael; Taylor, Lawrence D.; Vanderwood, Pa

• ISBN13: 9780842051736
• ISBN10: 0842051732
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-09-14
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

A stunningly beautiful backdrop where cultures meet, meld, and thrive, the U.S.Mexico borderlands is one of the most dynamic regions in the Americas. On the Border explores little-known corners of this fascinating area of the world in a rich collection of essays. Beginning with an exploration of mining and the rise of Tijuana, the book examines a number of aspects of the region's social and cultural history, including urban growth and housing, the mysterious underworld of border-town nightlife, a film noir treatment of the Peteet family suicides, borderlands cuisine, the life of squatters, and popular religion. As stimulating as it is lively, On the Border will spark a new appreciation for the range of social and cultural experiences in the borderlands.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. vii
The Mining Boom in Baja California from 1850 to 1890 and the Emergence of Tijuana as a Border Community	p. 1
Anticipating the Colonias: Popular Housing in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, 1890-1923	p. 31
The Fence and Gates of Ambos Nogales: A Postcard Landscape Exploration	p. 43
A Note on Homosexuality in Porfirian and Postrevolutionary Northern Mexico	p. 81
All Night at the Owl: The Social and Political Relations of Mexicali's Red-Light District, 1909-1925	p. 91
The "Shame Suicides" and Tijuana	p. 145
Low-Budget Films for Fronterizos and Mexican Migrants in the United States	p. 177
Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex, New Mex, or Whose Mex? Notes on the Historical Geography of Southwestern Cuisine	p. 199
U.S. Ports of Entry on the Mexican Border	p. 221
Slab City: Squatters' Paradise?	p. 241
Juan Soldado: Field Notes and Reflections	p. 257
The Oaxacan Enclaves in Los Angeles: A Photo Essay	p. 269
How Would You Like an El Camino? U.S. Perceptions of Mexico in Two Recent Hollywood Films	p. 287
Index	p. 295
About the Contributors	p. 301
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