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226 Chapter 11 Immigrants as Netizens Political Mobilization in Cyberspace Caroline B. Brettell A number of scholars have begun to look at the Internet as a mechanism for organizing immigrant populations, creating community , and constructing identity (Clarke 2004; Gibb 2002; Graham and Khosravi 2002; Lee and Wong 2003; Miller and Slater 2000; Mitra 2000; Panagakos 2003; Rai 1995; Sokefeld 2002; Thompson 2002). In particular they have emphasized how the Internet works to link dispersed populations to their homelands. Daniel Miller and Don Slater, for example, observe that Trinidadians who live in London, New York, Toronto, or Miami use the Internet to keep in touch with family and friends in Trinidad as well as to “reconstitute or enact ‘trini-ness’ on line” (2000: 27). Writing about Haitians, Angel Adams Parham uses the concept of the “diasporic public sphere” to draw attention to how Internet forums “help marginal actors strengthen their own networks and gain needed attention from civil society actors during community struggles” (2004: 202). He further suggests that while Internet forums are places where people distanced by space can express their opinions to a broad audience, the more challenging goal is to “foster networks among these others that one can mobilize around specific issues or projects” (203). The process of mobilization alluded to by Parham has not been thoroughly examined for immigrant populations despite its apparent effectiveness in the broader population, evidenced in particular by the Howard Dean presidential campaign, as well as by such organizations as MoveOn.org. Indeed , as recently as 2002, in an article published in Political Geography, Lynn Staeheli et al. noted that there was no sign of immigrant mobilization on the net. “The political spaces seem to be informational spaces in which the politics are not easily or directly read” (2002: 989). These authors ask Immigrants as Netizens 227 whether the Internet can become a political space “in which issues related to the incorporation of immigrants can be debated or whether it is a space that fosters a more fractionalized politics unlikely to lead to greater political incorporation of immigrants” (991). Their interests parallel a broader debate in the literature about whether or not the Internet “mobilizes or demobilizes citizens” (Weber, Loumakis, and Bergman 2003: 26). Staeheli et al. conclude that the Internet is “far more effective at providing information than it is in mobilization” and that “the frequently heralded potential of the Internet as a space for politics is not being met” (2002: 1005). And yet others have suggested that the speed and connectivity of the Internet offer a powerful foundation for the organization of political and social movements (Castells 2001; Cohen and Rai 2000; Gurak 1997). In this chapter, and as a contribution to the anthropology of online communities (Wilson and Peterson 2002), I document a case of Internet political mobilization among a group of immigrants who have been working since early 2004 to lobby Congress on immigration policy and legislation.1 I explore the process of civic education and engagement that this Internet group represents, as well as how it illustrates one mechanism of political incorporation for new immigrants in the United States. The group is called Unitefamilies .org. The majority of active members are legal permanent residents of the United States (green card holders) who have found themselves in a bind. This bind is best represented by two stories: Nori [a pseudonym], a Japanese citizen, has been a lawful permanent resident of the United States since the early 1990s. He earned an MBA from Northern Arizona University. He “fell in love” with the United States and has made many friends.He does volunteer work and pays his taxes.In 2003 he met a Japanese woman,Midori,who worked in the Chicago area where he was then living. Before she left for Japan, when her visa expired, he proposed to her. She accepted and they “were in heaven for just a moment.” Then they realized that if Nori, as a legal permanent resident, married her, it would take six years before Midori would be granted a visa to enter the United States to be with him. During this waiting period, Midori would not even be allowed to enter the United States as a visitor.“We are suffering from separation, and frustrated by this inhumanity. Don’t I deserve a right to live with my loved one? She is highly educated, likes to help others , and I’m sure she will contribute to this country in many ways.” Amit [a pseudonym], a...

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