Land of Open Graves

I recently read a book for an anthropology course titled Land of Open Graves by Jason De León.

[su_box title=”Jason De León, Ph.D.”]Jason De León is an Associate Professor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Anthropology at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. His research interests include theories of violence, materiality, death and mourning, Latin American migration, crime and forensic analyses, and archaeology of the contemporary. [/su_box]

The book gives the reader insight into the migrant travels of illegal immigrants from Mexico to the United States using mixed methods including: ethnography, taphonomy, and observation. It follows the tragic stories of some travelers and the political aspects of the border. The novel includes some photos of Jason’s research such as the one below.

[su_box title=”Taphonomy”]The study of how organisms decay. Jason was specifically interested in how human remains may decay in the desert as there are many immigrants who do not survive the treacherous road. Jason used two dead pigs dressed in clothes similar to migrants. Other than the elements, Jason discovered that scavenging animals were one of the big factors.[/su_box]

The novel itself covers some dark material but is interesting and important to the discourse around border patrol and the Trump’s administration’s immigration politics. If you are interested in borrowing the book, my copy is available.

Thanks for reading!

Kalei