L.A. and T.J.: Immigration, Globalization, and Environmental Justice in Tropic of Orange and Sleep Dealer
Keywords:
US-Mexico border, environmental justice, globalization, immigration policy, literary and visual representations, Operation GatekeeperAbstract
This article analyzes Karen Tei Yamashita’s novel Tropic of Orange (1997) and Alex Rivera’s film Sleep Dealer (2008) to explore the intersections of immigration, globalization, and environmental justice along the US-Mexico border. The paper argues that both works depict the border as a site of tension where national security policies, corporate greed, and environmental degradation converge. The study examines how literary and visual representations challenge the notion of uniform borders and highlight the fluidity of natural resources like water and air. Through an analysis of Operation Gatekeeper and the Department of Homeland Security’s initiatives, the article demonstrates the real-world implications of these narratives. The author contends that Yamashita and Rivera’s works collectively confront issues such as NAFTA, toxic dumping, and human rights violations, thereby contributing to the discourse on environmental justice activism.
(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)
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