The United States of America

The United States of America constitutes the geographical and conceptual center of this book. Lalami’s primary goal with this book is to highlight the present-day inequalities of the U.S., which are rooted in historical trends. Lalami discusses factors and circumstances related to the country’s settlement and founding. Lalami also discusses past and current laws that have suppressed equality of citizenship.

Morocco

Morocco is the country where Lalami was born. Morocco was a French colony from 1912 to 1956. Lalami was born there in 1968. During her time in Morocco, she noticed the ways in which Moroccans were expected to adopt aspects of French culture, and not the other way around. She learned from this observation that ideas of assimilation and cultural supremacy are based on injustice and imbalances of power. She then applies these ideas to her examination of the U.S.

Citizenship