Strong-Arming Exploitable Labor: The State and Immigrant Workers in the Post-Katrina Gulf Coast

A study examined the shift in the poor and working class demographic in the southern U.S. from a primarily African-American-based workforce to a sizable population of Latino/a immigrants, particularly in light of the reconstruction of the region following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Data were obtaine...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Redwood, Loren K. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2008
In: Social justice
Year: 2008, Volume: 35, Issue: 4, Pages: 33-50
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
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Keywords:
Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-
Southern States > Race relations
Construction industry employees
Demographic change
Labor laws
Government Policy
Foreign workers
Hurricane Katrina, 2005
Latin American foreign workers
Labor
Economics
Exploitation
Employment
Latin Americans
Race relations in the United States
Hurricane Katrina, 2005 > Reconstruction
Foreign workers > United States
Hurricane Rita, 2005
Building repair
Description
Summary:A study examined the shift in the poor and working class demographic in the southern U.S. from a primarily African-American-based workforce to a sizable population of Latino/a immigrants, particularly in light of the reconstruction of the region following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Data were obtained from primary scholarly works and from secondary sources, including newspapers, legal briefs, government reports, and briefing papers published by human rights agencies. Findings suggested that the redevelopment of the Deep South was tantamount to state-sponsored exploitation of immigrant workers. Findings indicated that the influx of Latino/a workers resulted in increased racial tension between native-born African-Americans and whites against newly arrived immigrant populations from Mexico, Central America, and other parts of the U.S. Findings are discussed in detail.
ISSN:2327-641X