Politics Across Borders: Immigration, Nativism, Activism and Trans-Border

Politics Across Borders: Immigration, Nativism, Activism and Trans-Border Political Sentiment

In the context of the scapegoating of immigrants and intensified nativism in US politics, it is often taken for granted by scholars and journalists that members of immigrant communities in the US would automatically reject such politics. However, many immigrants hold seemingly contradictory political positions, informed by multi-national political and economic trends that complicate this simple picture. This seminar examines the complexity of political sentiment and action among some immigrant communities in the Newark area and beyond. It concludes with a roundtable involving panelists and progressive activists from Brazilian communities in the region.

Thursday, October 27, 2022

(10:00-11:30 am) The Global Right Across Borders

Hindu Supremacists in a White World

• Audrey Truschke, Rutgers University, Newark

Bolsonaristas in the US: 2018 and 2022

• Vânia Penha-Lopes, Bloomfield College

The Anti-Democratic Wave in Brazil

• Isabela Kalil, University of São Paulo

(1:00-2:30 pm) Immigrant Communities and Global Politics

Indian American Political Activism

• Prema Ann Kurien, Syracuse University

Political Opinions of Brazilians living in the United States

• Gladys Mitchell-Walthour, North Carolina Central University

The Construction of Hinduphobia in the UK

• Meena Dhanda, University of Wolverhampton

(3:00-4:30 pm) Roundtable: Transnational Solidarity Politics: Reflections by Organizers

Eduardo Vianna, City University of New York and organizer, formerly with Defend Democracy in Brazil and BRADO

Natalia de Campos, Performance artist and activist, Defend Democracy in Brazil Committee, NY

In conversation with the panelists:

• Moderator: Sean T. Mitchell, Rutgers University, Newark