María Montoya, New York University
City University of New York, April 25, 2014

In this talk, Professor Montoya examines the history of the U.S.-Mexican border, and its role in shaping the national memory and identity of both countries.  Notions of Mexican American citizenship and property rights are entwined with this history, and have shifted over time.  To understand these transformations, Montoya chronicles the history, perception, and significance of the U.S.-Mexican border from 1848 to 1941 to explore its transition from a shared, fluid site to a symbol of exclusion and militarization.