Schaefer c9 (1)
- 1. Chapter 9 Latinos: The Largest Minority
- 2. Hispanic Population • Nearly 32 million, or two-thirds of Hispanics in the United States: – Are Mexican Americans, or Chicanos • The majority of Hispanic adults in the United States worry that: – They, a family member, or a close friend could be deported © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 3. Latino Identity • Panethnicity – The development of solidarity between ethnic subgroups • Hispanic or Latino – Collective term is subject to debate – Latino more common in the West © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 4. Latino Identity – Hispanic more common to the East and the term used by federal government • Actions of the dominant group have an impact in defining cultural identity to some degree • Among Hispanic youth age 16–25: – Only a minority, about 20 percent, prefers to use panethnic names © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 5. Latino Identity • About 72 percent of immigrant youth are likely to prefer country of origin – Compared to 32 percent of grandchildren • The sharp White–Black divide is absent in their home countries – Where race, if socially constructed, tends to be along a color gradient © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 6. Latino Identity • Name issues/“language battles” distract group’s attention from working together • Income and education does not appear to influence Hispanics’ perceptions • Younger generation think more in panethnic terms © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 7. Latino Identity • Color gradient – The placement of people on a continuum from • Light to dark skin color rather than in distinct racial groupings by skin color © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 8. The Borderlands • Borderlands – Refers to the area of a common culture along the border between Mexico and US • Notion of separate Mexican and US cultures obsolete because of – Legal and illegal immigration © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 9. The Borderlands – Day laborers crossing the border to go to jobs in the US – Implementation of (NAFTA) North American Free Trade Agreement – Exchange of media across the border • Maquiladoras © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 10. The Borderlands • Multinational companies found even lower wages in China – 40%+ of the 700,000 new maquiladoras jobs created in 1990s were eliminated by 2003 • Immigrant workers have significant economic impact on home countries – Remittances estimated at $24 billion annually © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 11. The Borderlands • Hometown Clubs – Typically are non-profit organizations that maintain close ties to immigrants’ hometowns: • In Mexico and other Latin nations – Collect money for improvements in hospitals and schools © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 12. The Borderlands – Some states in Mexico began matching-funds programs – Inland from the borders, hometown clubs have sprung up in northern cities: • With large settlements of Mexicans © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 13. The Economic Picture • Median income increased over past 25 years • Gap remains between Latinos and Whites • Latino household earns 70 cents for every dollar earned by Whites • Low wealth is characteristic of Hispanic households © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 14. The Economic Picture – Likely to earn less annually and have fewer financial resources to fall back on • Poverty rate reflects pattern in income • Beginning of 2010 – 25.3% of Latinos were below poverty level compared to 9.4% of Whites © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 15. The Economic Picture • Situation difficult to predict – As a group, poor Latinos are more mobile geographically – Half send money abroad to help relatives • Puts a strain on supporting themselves in the US © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 16. The Growing Political Presence • Federal law requires bilingual or multilingual ballots in voting districts – Where 5% of voting-age population does not speak English • Voting turnout was poor – Many were ineligible – non-citizens © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 17. The Growing Political Presence • 2010 – 19% of Latinos voters have more confidence in the Republican agenda on immigration – 51% leaned toward the Democratic position • Factors that elicit support from politicians – Growing population; higher proportions of voter registration; higher election participation © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 18. The Growing Political Presence – Less commitment to a single political party • Resent the fact that existence is rediscovered during election years – Little interest in between except by Latino officials © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 19. Cuban Americans • Cuban settlements in Florida date back to the early nineteenth century – Where small communities organized around single family enterprises • 1960 census – 79,000 Cuban born in US • 2010 – more than 1.7 million of Cuban descent in the United States © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 20. Cuban Americans • Increase followed Fidel Castro assumption of power after 1959 Cuban revolution • Three significant influxes of immigrants through the 1980s – 1st - About 200,000 came during the first three years after Castro came into power © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 21. Cuban Americans – 2nd – Freedom Flights; 340,000 refugees between 1965 and 1973 – 3rd – 1980 Mariel boatlift is most controversial – “Freedom Flotilla” • Castro used Carter’s invitation to send prison inmates, patients from mental hospitals, & addicts • Marielitos © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 22. Cuban Americans • Wet Foot, Dry Foot Policy – Refers to government policy which generally allows Cuban nationals who manage to reach: • The US (“dry foot”) to remain while those picked up at sea (“wet foot”) are sent back to Cuba © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 23. Cuban Americans • Cuban refugees have advantage over other refugees in terms of public opinion • Issue of communism still overshadows attitudes about US relationship with Cuba © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 24. The Current Picture: Cuban Americans • The influence of Cuban Americans – Miami area – In Urban centers • Generational relations among Cubans – Generational clash between cultures (parent and child) © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 25. The Current Picture: Cuban Americans • Long-range perspective of Cubans in the US depends on several factors – Most important – events in Cuba • Refugees proclaim desire to return if communist regime is overturned © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 26. The Current Picture: Cuban Americans – Cuban Americans have selectively accepted Anglo culture • Split between original exiles and their children – Children more concerned with Miami Dolphins than they are with Havana © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 27. Central and South Americans • Central and South Americans came from – historically different experiences and times – culturally diverse backgrounds • Unlike racial groupings in the United States they use a color gradient – Describing skin color along a continuum from light to dark © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 28. Central and South Americans – Another indicator of the social construction of race • Little in common other than hemisphere of origin and Spanish language – Other languages are Portuguese, French, and Dutch © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 29. Central and South Americans • Other distinctions – Social class distinctions – Religious differences – Urban versus rural backgrounds – Differences in dialects among those speaking same language © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 30. Central and South Americans • Central and South Americans do not form a cohesive group • Do not naturally form coalitions with – Cuban Americans – Mexican Americans – Puerto Ricans © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 31. Central and South Americans • Immigration has been sporadic and influenced by – US immigration laws – Social forces in the home country • War and persecution • Economic deprivation © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 32. Central and South Americans: The Current Picture • Two issues clouding recent settlement – Many are illegal immigrants • Citizens from El Salvador, Guatemala, & Colombia are outnumbered only by Mexican nationals – Brain Drain • Immigration to US of skilled workers, professionals, and technicians © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 33. Central and South Americans: The Current Picture • Experience high unemployment compared to Whites • Better educated than most Hispanics • By 2010 El Salvador, Guatemala, and Columbia were the top countries of origin – Each with at least a million present © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 34. Central and South Americans: The Current Picture – Success found in catering to other Colombians – Many obliged to take menial jobs & combine income of several families • To meet high cost of urban life – Colombians of mixed African descent face racial as well as ethnic and language barriers © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 35. Central and South Americans: The Current Picture • Future of Central and South Americans in the US? – Could assimilate over generations – Alternative: being trapped with Mexican Americans as a segment of dual labor market – Possibility is that they retain an independent identity while establishing an economic base © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.