Collaborative Conversations: Immigration

Terminology: Note that often the terms immigration, immigrants, migration and migrants are used interchangeably. When doing research remember that immigration refers to a movement between nations whereas migration is movement within a nation. For the U.S. experience, immigrants are often also part of migrant populations (which often refers to those individuals involved in farm labor as seasonal laborers). International immigrants (also called international migrants) face legal/judicial issues as temporary immigrants with special visas or no visas (often referred to as illegal aliens or undocumented aliens). Immigrant visas carry diverse privileges in terms of rights. It is important that you as a researcher pay attention to these differentiations as they carry wide-ranging implications in terms of assumptions about rights and privileges.  If you'd like learn more about research and online resources, stop by the Beaman Library Reference Desk.

Beaman Library uses Library of Congress Classification and Subject Headings to catalog books. These subject headings are slow to change and sometimes removed from contemporary usage; they are, however, extremely useful in locating books and articles. Although these are subject headings using them as KEYWORDS is an excellent research method. Examples of subject headings:

Illegal Aliens -- Education
Emigration and immigration
Alien labor Illegal Aliens     
Agricultural laborers -- United States --History
Mexico -- Emigration and immigration
California --Emigration and immigration
Alien labor, Asian -- United States
China -- Emigration and immigration -- History
Immigrants -- United States -- Government Policy

Ethnic groups or geographical locations can be substituted for other groups or locations.
Some names and organizations can also be used in subject searches.

Beaman Library supports the public discussion, scholastic analysis and practical engagement of Collaborative Conversations and the College of Leadership & Public Service by enabling and enriching research at Lipscomb University. 

Thanks to Kathryn Blackmer Reyes of San Jose State University for providing the template to this guide.