Integration Nation

Susan E. Eaton is the research director at the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School. She is the author, most recently, of the Children in Room E4. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Nation, and many other publications. She lives in Boston.

Praise for Integration Nation:“This useful book provides models for civic organizations that want to tackle immigration challenges, and it paints a vivid picture of some real successes.”—Publishers Weekly“[P]olished and concise…This book contains intriguing ideas and inspiration for anyone in an organization or local government office devoted to helping immigrant populations.”—Library Journal“[P]resents in discrete essays an array of compelling and persuasive regional efforts across the country…From Indiana to Georgia to Maine, these intelligent model programs should inspire others.”—Kirkus"Susan Eaton has done invaluable work in documenting the revitalization of communities across the U.S. by immigrants and refugees. . . . In her enthralling journalism we hear the voices of immigrant families, see the cruel folly of anti-immigrant hysteria, and learn in a very concrete way that the survival of migrant communities is connected to the survival of all of us."—David Bacon, author of Illegal People"Integration Nation . . . shows what many foreigners and Mexicans like myself know: that not everyone in the United States is Joe Arpaio; not every community is Arizona, Alabama, or Butler County in Ohio; not every conservative politician is Donald Trump. With specific and relevant examples, [Eaton] shows how imaginative solutions to age-old problems of integration—not assimilation—are being devised and implemented. A must-read."—Jorge Castañeda, Global Distinguished Professor of Politics and Latin American and Caribbean Studies, New York University"During a time when immigration policy continues to be a polarizing issue, Integration Nation shines a much needed light on the American towns and cities that thrive when immigrants and refugees are thoughtfully integrated into their fold."—Eva Millona, executive director, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition"Can a book be analytical and heartwarming at the same time? Apparently so, as in this remarkable volume Susan Eaton . . . points [out] that what is really at stake in places as different as Utah and Mississippi . . . is the very soul of the country. Firmly on the side of welcome, Eaton offers a series of deeply personal stories that offer a compelling vision of America . . . we can be proud of."—Manuel Pastor, director, University of Southern California Center for the Study of Immigrant IntegrationPraise for Eaton’s The Children in Room E4:"A graceful and fluent writer."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)"A spectacular accomplishment. A wonderful, complex, subtle, and intelligent work."—Jonathan Kozol"Susan Eaton brings a passion for justice, an eye for human detail, and the skill of a fine storyteller."—Adam Hochschild“Few journalists take on the work of exploring complex social problems by entering the lives of those affected by them. And fewer still are journalists who have the writerly knack of telling stories beautifully and compellingly while braiding together the many strands of information rigorous research imparts. But Eaton has it all: artistry, intelligence, authority, social concern, and soul. The Children in Room E4 is our lucky gift.”—Adrian Nicole LeBlanc“In The Children in Room E4, Eaton mobilizes her formidable talents to create a vivid and compelling account of struggles in Connecticut that are national in significance.”—Randall Kennedy“A vivid and compelling book. To a subject of daunting complexity, Susan Eaton has brought a remarkable clarity of vision and also a deeply humane spirit, the kind of spirit that some, thank God, still struggle to bring to public education.”—Tracy KidderPraise for Eaton’s The Other Boston Busing Story:"Susan Eaton provides compelling new insights on both the short- and long-term effects of a desegregated school experience."—William Julius Wilson