They Leave Their Kidneys in the Fields: Illness, Injury, and Illegality among U.S. Farmworkers (Volume 40) (California Series in Public Anthropology)

__They Leave Their Kidneys in the Fields__ takes the reader on an ethnographic tour of the melon and corn harvesting fields in California’s Central Valley to understand why farmworkers die at work each summer. Laden with captivating detail of farmworkers’ daily work and home lives, this book examines uses ethnography to show how U.S. immigration and labor policies have made migrant farmworkers “exceptional workers.” It explores the deeply intertwined political, legal, and social factors that place Latino migrants at particular risk of illness and injury in the fields, and that saddle them with a higher burden of chronic disease at home. It examines the patchwork of health care, disability, and Social Security policies that provide them little succor when they become sick or grow old. The book takes an in-depth look at the work risks faced by migrants at all stages of the life-course: as teens, in their middle-age, and ultimately as elderly workers. By following the lives of a core group of farmworkers over nearly a decade, this book provides a searing portrait of how their precarious immigration and work statuses get under their skin, culminating in preventable morbidity and premature death. "They Leave Their Kidneys in the Fields takes the reader on an ethnographic tour of the melon and corn harvesting fields in California's Central Valley to understand why farmworkers die at work each summer. Laden with captivating detail of farmworkers' daily work and home lives, Horton examines how U.S. immigration policy and the historic exclusion of farmworkers from the promises of liberalism has made migrant farmworkers what she calls 'exceptional workers.' She explores the deeply intertwined political, legal, and social factors that place Latino migrants at particular risk of illness and injury in the fields, as well as the patchwork of health care, disability, and Social Security policies that provide them little succor when they become sick or grow old. The book takes an in-depth look at the work risks faced by migrants at all stages of life: as teens, in their middle-age, and ultimately as elderly workers. By following the lives of a core group of farmworkers over nearly a decade, Horton provides a searing portrait of how their precarious immigration and work statuses culminate in preventable morbidity and premature death"--Provided by publisher "They Leave Their Kidneys in the Fields takes the reader on an ethnographic tour of the melon and corn harvesting fields in California's Central Valley to understand why farmworkers die at work each summer. Laden with captivating detail of farmworkers' daily work and home lives, Horton examines how U.S. immigration policy and the historic exclusion of farmworkers from the promises of liberalism has made migrant farmworkers what she calls 'exceptional workers.' She explores the deeply intertwined political, legal, and social factors that place Latino migrants at particular risk of illness and injury in the fields, as well as the patchwork of health care, disability, and Social Security policies that provide them little succor when they become sick or grow old. The book takes an in-depth look at the work risks faced by migrants at all stages of life: as teens, in their middle-age, and ultimately as elderly workers. By following the lives of a core group of farmworkers over nearly a decade, Horton provides a searing portrait of how their precarious immigration and work statuses culminate in preventable morbidity and premature death"-- Résumé de l'éditeur They Leave Their Kidneys in the Fields takes the reader on an ethnographic tour of the melon and corn harvesting fields in California's Central Valley to understand why Latino migrants suffer the highest rate of workplace deaths. Laden with captivating detail of farmworkers' daily work and home lives, this book examines how U.S. immigration and labor policy have forced Latino farmworkers to be what the author calls "exceptional workers." It examines the way that immigrant workers' precarious legal statuses get under their skin and culminate in high rates of hypertension, and the way the U.S.' Cover -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1. Burning Up: Heat Illness in California's Fields -- 2. Entering Farm Work: Migration and Men's Work Identities -- 3. Ghost Workers: The Labor Consequences of Identity Loan -- 4. Presión Alta: The Physiological Toll of Farm Work -- 5. Álvaro's Casket: Heat Illness and Chronic Disease at Work -- 6. Desabilitado: Kidney Disease and the Disability-Assistance Hole -- Conclusion: Strategies for Change -- Appendix A. On Engaged Anthropology and Ethnographic Writing -- Appendix B. Methods -- Appendix C. Core Research Participants -- Notes They Leave Their Kidneys in the Fields takes the reader on an ethnographic tour of the melon and corn harvesting fields of California’s Central Valley to understand why farmworkers suffer heatstroke and chronic illness at rates higher than workers in any other industry. Through captivating accounts of the daily lives of a core group of farmworkers over nearly a decade, Sarah Bronwen Horton documents in startling detail how a tightly interwoven web of public policies and private interests creates exceptional and needless suffering. 

  "They Leave Their Kidneys in the Fields takes the reader on an ethnographic tour of the melon and corn harvesting fields of California's Central Valley to understand why farmworkers suffer heatstroke and chronic illness at rates higher than workers in any other industry. Through captivating accounts of the daily lives of a core group of farmworkers over nearly a decade, Sarah Bronwen Horton documents in startling detail how a tightly interwoven web of public policies and private interests creates exceptional and needless suffering." -- Publisher's description Contents Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Burning Up: Heat Illness in California’s Fields 2. Entering Farm Work: Migration and Men’s Work Identities 3. Ghost Workers: The Labor Consequences of Identity Loan 4. Presión Alta: The Physiological Toll of Farm Work 5. Álvaro’s Casket: Heat Illness and Chronic Disease at Work 6. Desabilitado: Kidney Disease and the Disability- Assistance Hole Conclusion: Strategies for Change Appendix A. On Engaged Anthropology and Ethnographic Writing Appendix B. Methods Appendix C. Core Research Participants Notes References Index