Abstract
In the chapter, the author outlines how cultural and individual immigrant narratives are shaped by neoliberalism. The author shows that in “doing gratitude,” the continuous effort of appearing grateful, immigrant narratives create a space where native-born individuals can construct themselves into narratives of salvation. The performance of gratitude has several key components that render it compatible with neoliberal ideology. The chapter proposes that narratives play a role in, first, establishing worthiness as defined by neoliberalism (sometimes at the expense of dignity), and second, promising future worthiness (sometimes at the expense of remembering old identities). The author uses Dina Nayeri's The Ungrateful Refugee as an example of a cultural and individual narrative that both challenges and reinforces gendered neoliberal ideals.
TopMyths Of Migration
“Well, I sure do get it. You came for a better life.” (Nayeri, 2019, p.7)
In an article written for The Atlantic Magazine, American-Chilean author Ariel Dorfman reminds readers that perhaps more than native-born citizens, immigrants recognize the weight of social distancing (Dorfman, 2020). He states:
“The helplessness one feels when in a strange land without family or community networks can lead to the discovery of one’s own resilience. Loneliness, the kind that consumes those now isolated from their communities, and that immigrants confront in a disconcerting environment, can help one feel more comfortable in one’s own thoughts and recollections, more self-reliant.” (n.p).
Therein lies one of the central themes of the American cultural narrative of immigration. The brave hero leaves their home simply for the opportunity to contribute elsewhere: A place where they might be able to reap the benefit of their effort. This cultural narrative is presented as a hopeful, beautiful story. It can be comforting to expect that hardship should not be experienced in vain. It can be comforting to expect that there must be a reward at the end of a difficult journey. Otherwise what is the point? The very recognizable idea, a key component of neoliberal ideology, that success will follow individual effort is showcased in these cultural narratives. The United States, knowing itself as the land of opportunity, a Christian nation, has for centuries propagated its message of being a land of immigrants, where dreams come true (Honig, 2001). 1 Those dreams, including dreams of success, however are culturally specific. Under neoliberalism, success is defined by adherence to certain culturally specific notions of heteronormativity and wealth (Tabatabai, 2020). In the United States, many recognizable cultural ideals are guided by neoliberalism (Harvey, 2005; Tuck, 2013). This narrative is not just useful as it applies to immigrants. The idea of individual effort and subsequent success is deeply embedded in cultural narratives of success.
In exchange for inclusion2, that is gaining entry into a new country and being allowed to stay3, the immigrant must continuously “do gratitude”. “Doing gratitude” as opposed to “being grateful”, implies that gratitude is an ongoing project that is never entirely finished. It is a disposition that needs to be continuously reinforced and reaffirmed. Whose aims are served as immigrants take their position in this theater of gratitude? What is lost when this framing supersedes any other way of constructing the immigrant experience? I propose that the extent to which narratives adhere to the “grateful immigrant” script is one of the ways the human worth of the immigrant is assessed. Gratitude is a linchpin of the overall neoliberal ideology of productivity, self-reliance, and continuous self-improvement. This chapter outlines how cultural and individual immigrant narratives are shaped by neoliberalism. I show that in “doing gratitude”, the continuous effort of appearing grateful, immigrant narratives create a space where native-born individuals can construct themselves into narratives of salvation. The performance of gratitude has several key components and the chapter highlights the role that narratives play in, first, establishing worthiness sometimes at the expense of dignity, and second, the idea of “being an investment”- promise future worthiness – sometimes at the expense of remembering old identities.
TopNarratives
“It is time to reclaim the narrative.” (Shukla & Suleyman, 2018)
Key Terms in this Chapter
Assimilation: Blending away of differences, generally applied to culture, as in the case of cultural assimilation.
(Im)Migration: Also sometimes listed as im/migration is a way of creating a concept that can be utilized in outlining the experience of both immigrant and migrant people.
Narratives: Cultural stories that function to ground the individual into society.
Refugee: Person forced to flee their country of origin because of threats to their life or well-being.
Acculturation: Process through which culture is erased. This could be voluntary or involuntary in the case of forced acculturation.
Stereotypes: Inflexible expectations of thinking or behavior applied to individuals, based on their group membership.