Graduate Studies

 

First Advisor

Iker González-Allende

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Committee Members

Isabel Velázquez, Laura Muñoz, Luis Othoniel Rosa

Department

Modern Languages and Literatures (Spanish)

Date of this Version

5-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Citation

A dissertation presented to the Graduate College of the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Major: Modern Languages and Literatures (Spanish)

Under the supervision of Professor Iker González-Allende

Lincoln, Nebraska, May 2025

Comments

Copyright 2025, Olatz Sanchez-Txabarri. Used by permission

Abstract

This dissertation investigates contemporary works of daughters of immigrants in Spain and the United States. Through a postmigration approach, this study delves into the analysis of Ser mujer negra en España (2018), by Desirée Bela-Lobedde, Hija del camino (2019), by Lucía Mbomío, A Cup of Water Under My Bed (2014), by Daisy Hernández, Juliet Takes a Breath (2016), by Gabby Rivera, La hija extranjera (2015), by Najat El Hachmi, Hija de inmigrantes (2022), by Safia El Aaddam, and the documentaries Fruits of Labor (2021), by Emily Cohen Ibáñez and Vida diferida (Life, Deferred) (2017), by Brenda Ávila-Hanna. I argue that these works present processes of identity construction that are affected by two or more cultures and sets of expectations. Moreover, these narratives describe the difficulties these daughters face when trying to identify themselves within Spain and the United States, as their national identities are constructed around whiteness. The main characters of these works present multiplicitous identities that include the intersections of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality and social class, embracing all the cultures around them. By using techniques of disidentification and hometactics, the narratives emphasize the importance of negotiation between family, community, and the postmigrant society for the wellbeing of daughters of immigrants. Ultimately, this dissertation advocates for the inclusion of these works into the national narratives of Spain and the United States.

Advisor: Iker González-Allende

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