Book Review Introduction

The works reviewed in this issue approach migration through three different lenses — academic, artistic and activist. Professor Laura Alexander reviews Tisha Rajendra’s Migrants and Citizens: Justice and Responsibility in the Ethics of Immigration (2019). Rajendra addresses questions of political philosophy, arguing that Christian ethical thought can enhance global dialogue on migration and prompt Christians to understand their own responsibilities toward migrants. Joy Nelson, a long-time activist for immigration justice, reviews a Lauren Markham’s first book, The Far Away Brothers: Two Young Migrants and the Making of an American Life. This true story follows the harrowing journey of two boys fleeing El Salvador to seek safety in the United States. The book offers both a narrative of personal experience and the contextual information necessary to help readers understand migration facts and policy. Finally, ELCA immigration professional, Mary Campbell, reviews four recent films addressing different aspects of migration: worker rights, the courageous activism of Dreamers, the violence forcing families to flee Mexico, and the environmental destruction caused by the border wall.