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| The Making of Modern Immigration: An Introduction xvi Perhaps at the cue of historian Marcus Lee Hanson, whose two books in 1940 provided a wealth of new insights into how historians and others ought to address the immigration question, the profession of historical science has sought to ad- vance new theses from a number of interesting new methodologies. This diversi- fication in the last 50 years is, of course, driven by other factors, but immigration continues to fascinate from an array of vantage points. Intellectual historians have focused, for instance, on the elites who populated the “university-in-exile,” an ad hoc union of thinkers who fled Europe prior to World War II. 19 Since the 1960s, the historiography has turned decidedly toward the social construction of immigrant identity and the use of new source material, especially letters to the homeland, and this has broadened our understanding of the contexts from which they came and under which Americans have developed their attitudes toward immigrants. 20 Cul- tural historians have looked at stereotypes in more traditional media such as the- ater and film, but also those embedded in hip-hop and the Internet. 21 Ethnographers have done essential work on particular ethnic groups, especially as they attempt to resettle and stabilize their lives in new and sometimes reticent communities. 22 There has been a steady and worthwhile stream of studies on the various laws that have regulated immigration flows, often coming with biting criticism of their limi- tations or outcomes. There is no dearth of information on immigration, and that is because there is no lack of interest in it. Where questions arise, historians investi- gate and record. Even government itself has taken note of the importance of historical reflection on the values and contributions immigrant groups have made visible. This it does, at least partly, to right the wrongs of history. By this is meant not only the general neglect of minority groups from the nation’s historical narratives, but their system- atic exclusion from U.S. society. The United States State Department, for instance, has now an honest and forthright account of the so-called Chinese Exclusion Acts, whose racist policies used fearmongering and unfounded tales of criminality to bar Asians from admission. 23 The Global Village Immigration, of course, is not a uniquely American phenomenon, and it is vital to understanding the American experience to gain some appreciation for its trans- national or global character. There are nearly 200 million migrants currently, an enormous test for governments that seek to provide a measure of stability to both their own people and those attempting to resettle within their borders. Most of this mobility is voluntary, but a significant portion of those on the move are forcibly displaced. Their condition in life sets them apart from other émigrés because, all things being equal, they would not choose to move. Some are internally displaced persons and continue to reside within the borders of their own land for others, the