Abstract
This article argues that historians' understanding of the establishment of the quota system in the 1920s can be improved if ‘nativist’ organisations such as the Immigration Restriction League are not interpreted as a natural psychological reaction to an increase in immigration, but in the context of a new mode of power. The article compares the League's mode of operation and their attempts to convince other citizens of the necessity of restriction with the settlement movement. This comparison, it is argued, reveals that despite their radically different underlying rationales, both sides aimed at transforming individuals into better citizens.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 162-182 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Immigrants and Minorities |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 6 Jan 2014 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2014 |
Keywords
- immigration restriction, progressive movement, USA, governmentality, progressive era
