Southwest Montana is beautiful country, evoking mythologies of freedom and escape long associated with the West. Partly because of its burgeoning presence in popular culture, film, and literature, including William Kittredge's anthology The Last Best Place , the scarcely populated region has witnessed an influx of wealthy, white migrants over the last few decades. But another, largely invisible and unstudied type of migration is also present. Though Mexican migrants have worked on Montana's ranches and farms since the 1920s, increasing numbers of migrant families—both documented and undocumented—are moving to the area to support its growing construction and service sectors.
The Last Best Place? asks us to consider the multiple racial and class-related barriers that Mexican migrants must negotiate in the unique context of Montana's rural gentrification. These daily life struggles and inter-group power dynamics are deftly examined through extensive interviews and ethnography, as are the ways gender structures inequalities within migrant families and communities. But Leah Schmalzbauer's research extends even farther to highlight the power of place and demonstrate how Montana's geography and rurality intersect with race, class, gender, family, illegality, and transnationalism to affect migrants' well-being and aspirations. Though the New West is just one among many new destinations, it forces us to recognize that the geographic subjectivities and intricacies of these destinations must be taken into account to understand the full complexity of migrant life.
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motw/The Last Best Place_ Gender, Fa - Leah Schmalzbauer.epub

motw/The Last Best Place_ Gender, Fa - Leah Schmalzbauer.pdf

Schmalzbauer, Leah

United States, United States of America

Aug 27, 2014

1, 2014

producers:
Adobe PDF Library 10.0.1

Memory of the World Librarian: Slowrotation

Source title: The Last Best Place?: Gender, Family, and Migration in the New West

Though Mexican Migrants Have Worked On Montana's Ranches And Farms Since The 1920s, Increasing Numbers Of Migrant Families--both Documented And Undocumented--are Moving To The Area To Support Its Growing Construction And Service Sectors. The Last Best Place? Asks Us To Consider The Multiple Racial And Class-related Barriers That Mexican Migrants Must Negotiate In The Unique Context Of Montana's Rural Gentrification. These Daily Life Struggles And Inter-group Power Dynamics Are Deftly Examined Through Extensive Interviews And Ethnography, As Are The Ways Gender Structures Inequalities Within Migrant Families And Communities. But Leah Schmalzbauer's Research Extends Even Farther To Highlight The Power Of Place And Demonstrate How Montana's Geography And Rurality Intersect With Race, Class, Gender, Family, Illegality, And Transnationalism To Affect Migrants' Well-being And Aspirations. Situating Gender And Migration In The New West -- Economic Opportunities And Gender Divisions Of Labor -- Illegality, Rurality And Daily Life -- Transnationalism, Belonging And The Rural Idyll -- Doing Gender : The Impact Of Economic Crisis On Household Dynamics -- Through The Eyes Of The Second Generation -- Hope And Opportunity In The New West -- The Last Best Place? Leah Schmalzbauer. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 185-197) And Index.

Southwest Montana is beautiful country, evoking mythologies of freedom and escape long associated with the American West. Over the last few decades, this sparsely populated region has seen an influx of wealthy, white migrants. But another, largely invisible and unstudied type of migration is also present. Though Mexican migrants have worked on Montana's ranches and farms since the 1920s, increasing numbers of migrant families-both documented and undocumented-are moving to the area to support its growing construction and service sectors. The Last Best Place? asks us to consider the multiple racial and class-related barriers Mexican migrants must negotiate in the unique context of Montana's rural gentrification. Though the New West is just one among many new migrant destinations, it forces us to recognize that the geographic subjectivities and intricacies of these destinations must be taken into account to understand the full complexity of migrant life. Book jacket

Contents
8
Acknowledgments 10
Chapter 1. Situating Gender and Migration in the New West 16
Chapter 2. Economic Opportunities and Gender Divisions of Labor 37
Chapter 3. Illegality, Rurality and Daily Life 61
Chapter 4. Transnationalism, Belonging and the Rural Idyll 90
Chapter 5. Doing Gender: The Impact of Economic Crisis on Household Dynamics 109
Chapter 6. Through the Eyes of the Second Generation 127
Chapter 7. Hope and Opportunity in the New West 158
Chapter 8. The Last Best Place? 178
Notes 194
References 200
Index
214

2025-10-27