Since the beginning of Trump’s presidential campaign, he has promised to begin his second term with new efforts to limit legal migration. “Our southern border is overrun by cartels, criminal gangs, known terrorists, human traffickers, smugglers, unvetted military-age males from foreign adversaries, and illicit narcotics that harm Americans,” according to an order Trump signed that declares a national emergency at the southern border. This is the reason why, in the first days of his presidency, he has restored the so-called “Remain in Mexico” program that it requires migrants seeking asylum to remain in Mexico until their US immigration court date.
Unfortunately, borders and boundaries have always been a problem in history.
Here you’ll find a thematic approach to the issue, navigating texts and resources in and out of literature.
Border walls are among the most politically charged structures in the world today. While some – such as President Trump argue they enhance safety and control, others see them as divisive and ineffective solutions to complex issues. The following activity explores 3 of the most controversial walls in the world.
Hadrian’s wall
The first official wall ever built on English soil, is Hadrian’s wall. It took several decades for the Romans to extend their control to the northern edge of the island, where they eventually built a great defensive wall, stretching over almost 120 kilometres, from the North Sea to the Irish Sea. They called it Hadrian’s Wall, after the Roman Emperor Hadrian who ordered its construction. It marked the Empire’s northern frontier, the region where Roman military control was weakest while riots and revolts were more frequent. In fact, the Romans never managed to penetrate into the mountains of Wales and Scotland, while the area south of Hadrian’s Wall became the Roman province of Britannia and stayed under Roman rule for nearly 400 years. (see LIT HUB, vol1) Stretching about 73 miles from the east coast to the west, it was made from stone and turf and featured forts, milecastles, and turrets along its length.
The wall also served as a symbol of Roman power and a means of controlling trade and military movement. Today, it stands as a UNESCO World Heritage site and a popular archaeological landmark.
Walls are not always made of bricks and concrete. Invisible walls made of prejudice are often more pervasive and damaging than physical barriers, shaping the way individuals and groups interact across society. The following activities explore the theme of invisible walls.
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Many novels take into consideration the role walls have in our lives. An example is “The Wall” by John Lanchester. This dystopian novel explores themes such as climate change, division, immigration and many more. Rising seas have forced nations to build concrete barriers to keep out both water and desperate refugees known as “Others”. The protagonist, Joseph Kavanagh, is a young boy who, at the beginning of the novel, begins his compulsory service as a defender of the wall.
Possible activities include lessons on:
- Others
- Relationship between the wall and daily life
- Social engineering (relationship Kavanagh-Hifa)
- Life on and off the Wall (trip to London)
- Climate change