Hyperborder : the contemporary U.S.-Mexico border and its future
(Book)

1. Context -- North Korea and South Korea -- Israel and Palestine -- Morocco and Spain -- The U.S. and Canada -- France, Switzerland, and Germany -- Southern Africa -- The Golden Triangle -- Economic development and trade across borders -- Energy wars -- The U.S.-Mexico hyperborder -- 2. Data on the hyperborder -- Communications -- Geography -- Population -- Education -- Economy -- Industry -- Energy -- Trade -- Tourism -- Urban development -- Government -- Transportation -- Sister cities -- Hispanic population in the U.S. -- Minority groups in the U.S. -- Border crossings and cross-border trade -- Definition of the U.S-Mexico border -- 3. Reactions to the hyperborder -- Post 9/11 legislation -- Heightened border security -- Pushing the border away from the United States -- Pushing the border away from Mexico -- Improving the border -- The role of the NGO -- The role of the anti-immigrant group -- The role of the press -- The role of the government -- The Role of the binational accord --

4. A state of interdependence -- Sister cities -- The maquiladora industry and NAFTA -- U.S. dependency on undocumented labor -- The escape valve -- Remittances and transnationalism -- The Hispanic/Latino influence in the United States -- May 1, 2006, a day without an immigrant -- The Hispanic market -- Oil -- Tourism -- 5. Security -- The bordering nations' different approaches to the meaning of national security -- US-VISIT -- Mexico's national security programs -- Bilateral national security programs -- Security in the global arena -- Increasing security -- 6. Narcotraffic and corruption -- Corruption runs rampant in the organizations leading the war on drugs -- Transparency international's global corruption perception -- Counter-drug trade operations in both countries -- As drug cartels' power grows, so too does violence in border cities -- The demand for drugs in both countries -- The militarization of the war on drugs and zero tolerance laws -- Alternative drug policies --

7. The informal sector -- The informal sector's impact on the economy -- Piracy -- Formalizing the informal economy -- 8. Migration and demographics -- Why are Mexicans migrating to the United States? -- Immigrants in the United States -- Undocumented immigration on the rise -- Consequences of migration for Mexico -- Border deaths increase as security and regulations tighten -- Mexican migration demographics are changing -- The increasing political influence of migrant organizations in the United States -- Aging societies -- 9. Education -- Circumstances of basic education in both countries -- Demographic changes in both countries' education systems -- Economic and cultural gaps related to education in the United States -- The border as test bed for binational research --

10. Economic development and trade -- Neoliberalism's influence on economic policies in Mexico and U.S.-Mexico relations -- Trade across the U.S.-Mexico border is the driving force of the border economy -- Distributing wealth and developing new employment opportunities throughout Mexican society -- Increasing Mexico and North America's competitiveness -- Promoting competitiveness through fast and secure trade -- Economic growth must practice sustainable development -- 11. Transportation -- "Fuel-and-highways" transportation -- Securing energy sources, reducing pollution -- Synchronizing and securing cross-border traffic and trade -- Designing funding mechanisms to maintain and extend highway infrastructure -- Develop intermodal transport facilities --

12. Energy -- The energy crisis is the greatest challenge facing humanity in the twenty-first century -- As China and India industrialize, worldwide competition for energy resources increases -- U.S. and Mexican economies depend on depleting fossil fuels -- Mexico's depleting oil reserves will severely impact government spending -- Uncertain energy security -- As the border population grows, so too does energy demand -- The demand for water will increase with the demand for energy -- Further environmental degradation and health issues developing from increased fossil-fuel burning -- The hyperborder's potential for developing alternative, renewable energy resources -- 13. Environment -- Loss of biodiversity threatens both countries -- Increasing water shortages -- The environmental effects of the border's closing -- Climate change -- The impact of NAFTA's lifting of trade barriers and Mexico's unsustainable dependence on the U.S. agricultural sector -- Emerging binational programs are tackling environmental problems --

14. Health

Health care and diseases are changing and globalizing

Mexico and the United States share mutual health concerns

New discoveries, treatments, and technologies show promise for preventing and treating disease

Binational health initiatives and the border as a health tourism destination

15. Urbanization

Migration has contributed to rapid population growth

The inefficiency of horizontal cities

How different cities have come to develop

Not enough (affordable) housing being created

Poverty prevalent in border cities

Border cities lack infrastructure

Attracting new talent to border communities

Making binational housing plans

Notes

Glossary of terms.