CUERPOS CLANDESTINOS E INDOCUMENTADOS: NARRATIVAS TRANSFRONTERIZAS CENTROAMERICANAS EN LA LITERATURA Y EL CINE

The reality of migration is a phenomenon that has been present in the world for centuries. Latin America is mainly where immigrants in the United States reach high scales. However, Central America explicitly sees a shift in the ways people decide to migrate nowadays, for instance, in caravans with thousands of walkers. This dissertation analyzes six Central American contemporary works in narrative and four film productions: two film features and two documentaries. The purpose is to explore the significance of mobilities and their influence on perspectives of identity and the different narratives of migration and how these are portrayed in Central American literary and visual productions. The objective is to contribute to Transborder, Diaspora, Cinema, and Central American studies.

The dissertation is divided into three chapters. The first one presents the conceptual and socio-politic frame that serves as a starting point for the primary analysis of the works. The second one explores the discussions about different themes related to the migration experience, such as self-reflexivity, nostalgia, mobility, and spaces. Finally, the third part deepens into the film features and the visual representations of the reality of immigrants trying to cross the United States