All too often; groups who do not effectively define themselves find that others assume the power to explain them. Until recently; this has certainly been the case with American Latinos/as; as evidenced by demeaning media stereotypes and the groups's near-invisibility in U.S. history texts. Indeed; as the demise of the Soviet empire shifted America's national anxieties to domestic irritants; images of Latinos/as changed for the worse. Immigration reform acts in 1965 and 1986 brought millions of new immigrants from Latin American countries. By the end of the 1980s; their presence had become vexing to many. English-only movements sprang up. Bilingual education came under attack. Movements to close the border gained momentum. Now; Latinos/as are speaking back. The Latino Condition brings together some of these new voices; and some of the pioneers; in law; sociology; history; politics; and literature. This pathbreaking volume addresses such questions as: Who exactly is a Latino/a? Who is Hispanic? Who is Chicano/a? How did Spanish-speaking people come to the United States? Should the United States try to control Latino/a immigration and is this even possible? How has "the silent minority" been stereotyped by popular culture? Why don't traditional civil rights remedies work for Latinos/as? Is assimilation possible; or even desirable; for all Latinos/as? What makes for conflict between Latinos/as and other racial groups? Are Latinos/as a race or an ethnicity? Should Latino/a children be taught in Spanish? What can border theory tell us about culture; language; and power?
#4785151 in Books Wayne State University Press 1999-04-01 1999-04-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.19 x .84 x 6.14l; 1.40 #File Name: 0814327982376 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good Book; Bad IndexBy Walter B. StahrThis is a good book: a set of columns; written by Lois Adams; that appeared in a Detroit newspaper in 1863 through 1865. Adams was a clerk in the Agriculture Department; so her vision of Washington was less lofty than Brooks or other correspondents; she focuses on the weather; fashions; and the Agriculture Department. BUT the book is rendered far less useful by its awful index. I knew the book mentioned Seward; because I had seen a reference elsewhere; but he is not in the index. A patient search through the text found several references. A quick check revealed other names not indexed; including those of some Michigan men in Washington hospitals. No index is perfect; but this one mars the whole book.
