University of Texas Press
So Far from Allah, So Close to Mexico
About this book
Middle Eastern immigration to Mexico is one of the intriguing, untold stories in the history of both regions. In So Far from Allah, So Close to Mexico, Theresa Alfaro-Velcamp presents the fascinating findings of her extensive fieldwork in Mexico as well as in Lebanon and Syria, which included comprehensive data collection from more than 8,000 original immigration cards as well as studies of decades of legal publications and the collection of historiographies from descendents of Middle Eastern immigrants living in Mexico today.
Adding an important chapter to studies of the Arab diaspora, Alfaro-Velcamp's study shows that political instability in both Mexico and the Middle East kept many from fulfilling their dreams of returning to their countries of origin after realizing wealth in Mexico, in a few cases drawing on an imagined Phoenician past to create a class of economically powerful Lebanese Mexicans. She also explores the repercussions of xenophobia in Mexico, the effect of religious differences, and the impact of key events such as the Mexican Revolution.
Challenging the post-revolutionary definitions of mexicanidad and exposing new aspects of the often contradictory attitudes of Mexicans toward foreigners, So Far from Allah, So Close to Mexico should spark timely dialogues regarding race and ethnicity, and the essence of Mexican citizenship.
Author / Editor information
Topics
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Frontmatter
i -
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Contents
vii -
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Acknowledgments
ix -
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Introduction: Looking for Antonio Aychur Itt and Finding Hamud Said Eid
1 -
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1. Amplifying Mexicanidad
9 -
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2. Locating Middle Easterners in National and Transnational Histories
25 -
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3. Turco Sojourners Come to Porfirian Mexico
45 -
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4. Borderland Merchants in Revolutionary Mexico
70 -
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5. Middle Eastern Immigrants and Foreigners in Post-Revolutionary Mexico
110 -
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6. Peddling, Positioning, and Prosperity
133 -
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7. Conclusion: Meanings of Multiculturalism
158 -
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Appendix: Tables
165 -
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Notes
181 -
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Selected Bibliography
225 -
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Index
257
