Interview with Dr. Carol Wise on Immigration, Trade, NAFTA, Obama, and American Identity

Obama IS America! was blessed to be able to conduct an interview with the brilliant Dr. Carol Wise, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California.  The good Dr. spoke on issues ranging from immigration across the US and Mexican borders, NAFTA and the US economy, our current economic crisis and its world impact, and shifting conceptions of American identity.  

Contained in this blog post, please find:

1.  The OIA! interview with Dr. Wise;

2.  A copy of the interview questions;

3.  A video of Dr. Wise discussing the Mexican drug war and its spillover into the US and a link to the text of a 2006 interview where she discusses Hugo Chavez and his control over oil;

4.  Links to news articles relevant to the discussion of immigration issues and the United States.

Interview: 

Questions:

1. Firstly, do you think you can give us your thoughts on the relationship (if there is one) between the massive growth in immigration to the US from Mexico and other Latin American countries over the last decade and regional trade agreements such as NAFTA? 

2. Is there any relationship between NAFTA or other US trade agreements and the current state of the American economy?
3. How do you think that a deepening of the current US economic crisis will impact US economic relationships regionally and internationally?
4. What do you think are some of the more significant negative impacts of NAFTA, and what are some of the positives? 
5. What impact, if any, do you think the Obama Administration will have on NAFTA?
6. Do you think that an Obama Presidency has changed or will change common understandings of American identity? Has it changed anything for you?
7. How would you describe what it means to be American? 

Dr. Wise discussing the seeping of the Mexican drug war into the United States:

2006 interview of Dr. Wise by Kai Ryssdal on Hugo Chavez's power over oil production:

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/05/31/can_chavez_pump_up_opec_support/

Further articles/websites on immigration policy, the US, and human rights:
Tech Recruiting Clashes with Immigration Rules (NY Times)
Mexico City Bill to Grant Guest Status to Migrants

Truth in Immigration

What You Don't Know About NAFTA

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio