ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the representation of the United States (US)-Mexican border in National Geographic's 'Border Wars'. 'Border Wars' was an immediate success and its first episode on 10 January 2010 was the highest rated premier ever for the National Geographic Channel. Each episode of 'Border Wars' begins with a fast-paced title sequence with images of guns, helicopters, Predator Drones, and agents racing through the desert accompanied by dramatic music and a voice-over about terrorism, drug cartels, security threats, and war. Beyond the war metaphor in the title and the siege metaphor for border towns, the show consistently uses militaristic language to describe the activities of the Border Patrol agents and the Customs officers. Indeed, 'Border Wars' producer Nicholas Stein was one of two keynote speakers at a major security industry convention in 2011. 'Border Wars' emphasizes the environmental dangers of the Sonora Desert along the border in Arizona, which result in many dead bodies.
