Enforcing Order on the Border: Power, Policy and Policing in the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands

This lecture will examine the themes and arguments in Eric Gamino’s book, Enforcing Order on the Border, exploring how law-enforcement agencies construct, maintain and justify “order” in the border region.

We will analyze the social, political and historical forces that shape policing practices, the lived experiences of officers and migrants, and the mechanisms through which the border becomes a site of control, conflict and negotiation. The session will highlight how border enforcement reflects broader debates about national security, immigration policy and state power.

Gamino is an associate professor in the Department of Criminology and Justice Studies at California State University, Northridge, and a former police officer whose professional experience informs his scholarship on law enforcement and border policy. He earned his PhD in sociology from Texas A&M University, where he developed his research focus on policing, race and ethnicity, and the social dynamics of border enforcement. Drawing on both lived experience and rigorous research, he brings a nuanced, critical perspective to contemporary conversations about justice, power and accountability.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Register

Register by Monday, April 20, at 3 p.m.