In 1891; officers of the United States Public Health Service began examining immigrants at the nation's borders for "loathsome and dangerous contagious diseases." First introduced as a means to screen out those who posed a threat to public health; the examinations were soon described by officials as a way of denying entry to applicants who could not work and would; therefore; be a burden on society. But historian Amy Fairchild has unearthed a curious fact about this ubiquitous rite of immigration―it was rarely undertaken to exclude immigrants. In Science at the Borders; Fairchild retells the immigrant story; offering a new interpretation of the medical exam and the role it played in the lives of the 25 million immigrants who entered the US. She argues that the vast assembly line of flesh and bone served as a kind of initiation into the life of the new working class; one that would introduce men and women from the villages of eastern Europe and elsewhere to the norms and conventions of the factory floor. What the overwhelming majority of immigrants endured at Ellis Island and other entry points to the United States was; according to Fairchild; part of a process of induction into American industrial society.Against this backdrop Fairchild also explores the southern border of the United States and the West Coast where the exam did; in fact; serve to exclude. Throughout; Fairchild conveys the humanity of the story; offering detailed accounts of individual immigrants confronting a large scientific and medical bureaucracy.
#1018119 in Books Thomas C Holt 1991-11-01 1991-11-01Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.50 x 1.25 x 6.25l; 1.56 #File Name: 0801842913552 pagesThe Problem of Freedom Race Labor and Politics in Jamaica and Britain 1832 1938
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. very fast; receive it next day;By Debbygood seller. This is a wonderful product at an awesome price point. Out of the packaging; it was ready to use; with no sharpening required. No tearing; no pulling; easy to clean; and a nice grip. a gift to my brother ; very nice . good product with high quality.13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. Big Book; Big ImplicationsBy A CustomerHolt studies Jamaica;from the emanicpation of the slaves to the labor problems faced by ex-slaves in the 1930s. But the narrow focus is misleading - really Holt writes about "the problem of freedom:" the tast of socializing ex-slaves into becoming productive laborers - the problem of convincing freedpeople that it's in their best interest to labor for tiny wages; for the profit of the wealthy. Another major focus is the inherent contradictions of classical liberalism - economic freedom does and always has required brutal and blatent inequalities in the political and social spheres.Certainly not everyone will agree with Holt; but his argumentation and analysis are impeccable. If you believe that self-determination and free enterprise are practically the same thing - or if you think that capitalism and democracy are one and the same - you must read Holt's book.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Black; Jamaican politics are not over...By WaldoAn excellent book; well researched in most parts and drawing on memory of information gleaned broadly but from lost sources for the rest (which the author admits in his introductory remarks); presenting a black history of a dark era of human history.
