Identity loan: The moral economy of migrant document exchange in California's Central Valley

The Novel Coronavirus and Undocumented Farmworkers in the United States

The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly impacted frontline workers' health in 2020. The objective of this commentary is to evaluate some of the challenges faced by undocumented farmworkers in the context of the current global pandemic and possible risk mitigation strategies. Undocumented farmworkers make considerable contributions to the U.S. economy and food production, but they are at an elevated risk for contracting Covid-19. Their risk is compounded by their employment and legal status, as well as their poor working and living conditions which makes it difficult for them to observe Covid-19 precautionary measures. U.S. immigration policy disincentivizes undocumented farmworkers from seeking healthcare services. Contact tracing challenges could be overcome by gaining trust with subsequent increased testing and care. Extending eligibility of safety net programs for undocumented farmworkers will help to ease the burden of Covid-19, thereby improving their overall health and productivity.

Absence and Ambiguity: Documenting the Moment of Birth in East Lombok, Indonesia

Birth registration has become prominent among global initiatives to “leave no one behind.” Despite Indonesia's efforts to implement a national registration program, low-income rural families in East Lombok do not choose to register their children in significant numbers. By closely examining the documents and documentary practices linked to childbirth, this article unpacks the ambiguous meanings the Indonesian government and the Sasak of East Lombok hold around childbirth. Sasak family engagement with existing birth rituals highlights the exceptional convergences required to create documentary links between place, person and nation.