Skip to main content
University of California Press

Sin Padres, Ni Papeles

Unaccompanied Migrant Youth Coming of Age in the United States
by Stephanie L Canizales (Author)
Hardcover Paperback eBook
Price: $29.95 / £25.00
Publication Date: Aug 2024
Edition: 1st Edition
Title Details:
Rights: World
Pages: 338
ISBN: 9780520396197
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Illustrations: 1 b/w figure, 2 tables
Request an Exam or Desk Copy(opens in new window)RightsLink(opens in new window)Read an Excerpt(opens in new window)
Recommend to your Library (PDF)(opens in new window)Rights and Permissions

About the Book

Each year, thousands of youth endure harrowing unaccompanied and undocumented migrations across Central America and Mexico to the United States in pursuit of a better future. Drawing on the firsthand narratives of migrant youth in Los Angeles, California, Stephanie L. Canizales shows that while a lucky few do find reprieve, many are met by resource-impoverished relatives who are unable to support them, exploitative jobs that are no match for the high cost of living, and individualistic social norms that render them independent and alone. Sin Padres, Ni Papeles illuminates how unaccompanied teens who grow up as undocumented low-wage workers navigate unthinkable material and emotional hardship, find the agency and hope that is required to survive, and discover what it means to be successful during the transition to adulthood in the United States.
 

About the Author

Stephanie L. Canizales is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Table of Contents

Contents

List of Illustrations 
Acknowledgments 

Introduction 
1 Departures 
2 Arrivals 
3 (Dis)orientation 
4 Adaptation 
5 Perdition 
6 Success 
Conclusion 

Appendix A. Interview Participant Demographics 
Appendix B. Methodological Reflections 
Notes 
References 
Index 

Reviews

"What Canizales illustrates through her fieldwork is the gauntlet of everyday difficulties faced by undocumented youth, first and foremost their precarious status, which complicates their search for work, stable housing and safe navigation of the city. Gender is a factor in this context. Cultural expectations are different for males and females, and Canizales deserves credit for examining the unique obstacles faced by female migrants."
— California Review of Books
"Sin Padres, Ni Papeles, which translates into English as 'without parents, nor papers,' is an excellent source book for social workers, political scientists, and socially conscious activists."
— New York Journal of Books
"Drawing upon meticulous research, Stephanie L. Canizales captures the heart-wrenching transitions and unwavering spirits of unaccompanied immigrant youth with profound empathy. Sin Padres, Ni Papeles illuminates the challenges and adaptations these young people face, offering a compelling call to reexamine our policies and attitudes toward these most vulnerable members of our society. A must-read!"—Carola Suárez-Orozco, Harvard Graduate School of Education
 
"Canizales develops a deeply engaging portrait of her participants to provide a sobering account of the lives of unaccompanied Central American minors who are aging into adulthood without the support of parent-led households or K-12 schools. Sin Padres, Ni Papeles will soon become a staple in the field of undocumented migration."—Laura E. Enriquez, author of Of Love and Papers: How Immigration Policy Affects Romance and Family
 
"The depth of this research is impressive. Canizales has clearly taken the time necessary to gain access to this community and presents an intimate portrait of their experiences, while offering critical theoretical interventions. The empathy the author has for these young people is palpable, avoiding the sometimes sterile gaze that much of the research on immigrant integration can adopt."—Shannon Gleeson, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations

"Based on years of rigorous research, Canizales offers a close-up view into the material and socio-emotional challenges facing a group that has remained invisible to most scholars and journalists: undocumented youth who live and work in the United States without the presence or protection of parents. These youth navigate labor exploitation, poverty, and personal grief, but their own creativity allows them to forge dual transitions into young adulthood and incorporation as working-class residents of urban California. Written with passion and precision, this pathbreaking book is a must-read for students and scholars, as well as policymakers and legislators."—Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, coauthor of South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Community in South L.A.