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The Phenomenology of Perception and Fear: Security and the Reality of the US–Mexico Border

Abstract This article uses an interpretive phenomenological approach to examine the deployment (and perception) of fear in the US–Mexico border region. This region is currently perceived by “others” to be under siege by drug-trafficking organizations, terrorists and undocumented immigrants. However, the inhabitants of this region experience a vastly different reality that is far-removed from the rhetoric of fear often used by politicians to identify and define the inhabitants. In many instances, the effects of border violence are exaggerated in ways that benefit political and corporate interests; moreover, this specific tactic operates to squeeze and constrain efforts aimed at civic engagement and public input in policies. We expose perceptions and misperceptions on issues related to fear, and explain the ways in which fear can be expropriated as a social construct that prevents meaningful political dialogue.