Racism against Chinese Immigrants in Mexico and its Intercultural Interpretation in the Film Sonora(2018)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62701/revsocial.v13.5456Keywords:
dAbstract
This article examines racism against Chinese immigrants in Mexico, focusing on the film Sonora (2018), which portrays events from the early 20th century. Despite the long-standing Chinese presence since the 19th century and a population exceeding 1.2 million by 2020, Chinese representation in Mexican migratory cinema remains limited. This study considers the growth of migration-themed cinema in Mexico, encouraged by initiatives like the Global Migration Film Festival. Sonora is analyzed through political, economic, and intercultural lenses, exploring how it portrays exclusion and xenophobia under the “Yellow Peril” narrative—a concept framing East and Southeast Asians as threats. The film highlights the massacres and expulsions of Chinese communities in 1930s Mexico, often ignored in broader historical narratives. By interpreting this cinematic work, the study underscores the role of film in confronting historic discrimination and promoting intercultural understanding.
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