Transnational Representations of the U.S. Borderlands. Outlaw Women in Contemporary "Border Cinema"

Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

2 THEORIZING AND HISTORICIZING THE PHENOMENON OF BORDER CINEMA

2.1 The View from the North: The U.S.-Mexico Border(lands) According to Hollywood

2.2 The View from the South: Mexican Border Cinema and la frontera

3 TRANSNATIONAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE U.S. BORDERLANDS: OUTLAW WOMEN IN CONTEMPORARY BORDER CINEMA

3.1 Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Babel: Border Cinema Goes Global

3.2 María Novaro’s Sin dejar huella: Border Cinema Meets Road Movie

4 CONCLUSION

Research Objectives and Themes

This interdisciplinary study, situated between American Studies and Latin American Studies, provides a comparative analysis of transnational filmic representations of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Its primary research goal is to investigate how recent "outlaw women" in contemporary border cinema challenge mainstream cinematic stereotypes, offering counter-images that address complex debates on migration, mobility, and globalization.

• Comparative analysis of U.S. and Mexican border cinema traditions.
• The historical evolution of the "outlaw" and "bandit" tropes in Westerns and border films.
• Analysis of gender representation and the subversion of traditional female roles in border cinema.
• The integration of "hyperlink cinema" and "road movie" genres into contemporary border narratives.
• Humanizing the experiences of undocumented immigrants and "outlaw women" protagonists.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter contextualizes the U.S.-Mexico border as a central trope in both national cinemas, outlining the prevalence of stereotypical representations and introducing the research focus on "outlaw women."

2 THEORIZING AND HISTORICIZING THE PHENOMENON OF BORDER CINEMA: This chapter maps the generic terrain of border cinema, tracing the evolution of cinematic stereotypes and the contrasting ideological perspectives from both North and South.

3 TRANSNATIONAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE U.S. BORDERLANDS: OUTLAW WOMEN IN CONTEMPORARY BORDER CINEMA: This chapter provides close film analyses of Babel and Sin dejar huella, exploring how these works utilize female protagonists to challenge established border genre conventions and rework themes of migration and identity.

4 CONCLUSION: This chapter summarizes the study's findings, highlighting how the selected films attempt to humanize marginalized subjects and offer a more nuanced, empathetic perspective on border realities.

Keywords

Border cinema, Borderlands, Outlaw women, Migration, Hollywood stereotypes, Mexican cinema, Babel, Sin dejar huella, Transnationalism, Gender representation, Hyperlink cinema, Road movie, Globalization, Identity, Stereotyping

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fundamental focus of this thesis?

The thesis explores the transnational representation of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, specifically analyzing how female "outlaw" characters are portrayed in contemporary cinema.

What are the primary thematic fields addressed in the work?

The study covers the history of the border genre, the construction of "otherness," the evolution of gender roles in film, and the intersection of politics, migration, and cinema.

What is the central research question?

The research asks how cross-genre border films utilize female protagonists to offer counter-images to traditional stereotypes, thereby influencing contemporary debates on migration and globalization.

Which scientific methods are employed?

The work utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, blending textual analysis with film and cultural theory to compare U.S. and Mexican cinematic traditions.

What is the focus of the main body (Chapter 3)?

The main body offers deep film analyses of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Babel and María Novaro’s Sin dejar huella, focusing on their specific narrative strategies and the characterization of female outlaws.

Which keywords best characterize the study?

Key terms include "Border cinema," "outlaw women," "transnationalism," "gender representation," "migration," and "identity."

How does the film 'Babel' integrate hyperlink cinema?

Babel uses a multi-protagonist, fragmented narrative structure that intertwines separate stories across different continents, inviting viewers to explore global interconnections.

In what ways does 'Sin dejar huella' subvert traditional road movie norms?

The film combines the road movie with the border genre to focus on female solidarity and a journey from North to South, challenging the masculine bias typical of the road movie archetype.