Crossing Waters: Undocumented Migration in Hispanophone Caribbean and Latinx Literature & Art

Crossing Waters is the first study to examine literary and artistic representations of undocumented migration within the Hispanophone Caribbean. It highlights the plight of migrants and the role of Puerto Rico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic as border zones.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 02 August 2022
Publisher: University of Texas Press

An innovative study of the artistic representations of undocumented migration within the Hispanophone Caribbean, "Crossing Waters" delves into a journey that remains largely unheard of and marginalized. While debates surrounding Latin American undocumented migration often revolve around the southern US border, the majority of migrants do not cross this arbitrary line. Instead, they embark on a treacherous journey, often by water, traversing the Caribbean islands. "Crossing Waters" is the first study to examine literary and artistic representations of undocumented migration within the Hispanophone Caribbean, shedding light on the plight faced by these migrants.

Through a comprehensive analysis of works by novelists, short-story writers, poets, and visual artists, Marisel Moreno highlights the hardships and challenges these individuals endure. These artistic expressions are replete with references to drowning and echoes of the Middle Passage, emphasizing the treacherous nature of their journey. In certain cases, Puerto Rico emerges as a crucial stepping-stone to the continental United States, where migrants hope to find a better life. Meanwhile, the land border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the only terrestrial border in the Hispanophone Caribbean, becomes a complex space within this cartography of borders.

While the Border Patrol garners significant attention in US headlines, the Coast Guard occupies the nightmares of refugees. "Crossing Waters" presents an untold story filled with beauty, possibility, and sorrow, urging us to reevaluate the geography and experience of undocumented migration and the significant role played by the Caribbean archipelago as a border zone. This groundbreaking work contributes to our understanding of the complexities and human dimensions of migration in the region.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781477325599