Violence, Business, and Identity in the Borderlands

Abstract

Studies of the US—Mexico border continue to inform and challenge sociocultural anthropologists on how to think about race relations, ethnic communities, and identity. This article introduces the Chinese-Mexican community living in the northwest part of the Mexican—US border city of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. Identity plays a major role for this community in order for it to survive and, in some cases, thrive financially. I argue that long-standing people of Mexicali with Chinese ancestry (who I refer to as Chinescos) refuse to be categorized when asked to choose an identity. This community struggles to survive economically and socially at the border like other people in the community and live a moral life—a life with a set of values that will protect themselves, their families, and what matters most to them. Their identity is not static and they will choose their identity carefully. They will deploy Chinese values and citizenship strategies when appropriate, but will not shy away from being part of the Mexican community. This article illustrates these issues through two case studies: (a) a violent crime committed in Mexicali involving the Chinescos, and (b) the formation of businesses by the community. In conclusion, studying Mexicali, a US—Mexico border community provides a venue for understanding race relations and community formations.