An examination by distinguished Latino/a scholars of the increasing influence of 37 million Latino/a Americans on U.S. electoral and social movements. Latino Americans and Political Participation examines Latino/a American political behavior, covering both electoral and other political issues. The essays provide thorough accounts of the relevant people, places, and events and provide a broad overview of Latino/a political participation in the United States. The information is accessible to individuals new to the topic, but there is extensive coverage to satisfy experienced researchers as well. The volume is rich with case studies and contains information on important political figures, key political events, and a guide to supplementary literature and resources. Contributors include prominent Latino/a scholars who provide a thorough review of the academic literature on such subjects as political demography, protest politics, interest groups, social movement participation, and political representation in national, state, local, and community-level politics.

Does placing a Latino candidate on the ticket mobilize Latino voters?

This exemplary contribution to the literature on ethnic studies examines the issues surrounding Mexican-American political empowerment in the United States. The chapters, originally contributions to a symposium at the University of Texas in El Paso, are uniformly engaging, rigorous in their analysis, and richly suggestive in their conclusions. This exceptionally fine collection discusses the political history of Mexican-Americans, the role of their interest groups, educational models, local bureaucracies, and electoral strategies. Noteworthy are the barriers to Chicano authority found in Los Angeles and Texas. Strongly recommended. Library Journal This timely book is among the first to be published that directly addresses the political empowerment of Hispanics. The contributors concern themselves not only with the progress and problems of political empowerment, but also with the prospects of future empowerment--the political strategies and agendas for the next decade. Conducted by a group of scholars well known for their research on Chicano politics, the studies suggest that while substantial progress has been made in opening political doors to Mexican Americans, most of their political potential has yet to be realized. The volume begins with an overview of the history of Mexican-American political empowerment from 1850 to the present. Institutional, procedural, and ideological barriers to success in American politics for Mexican- Americans are reviewed. An examination of two major politics for paradigms for educational achievement reflect different views on educational success and failure. The bureaucracy of local government and its sensitivity in increasing political representation in Los Angeles, the development of political organization and leadership, and future legal issues are covered. In the conclusion, the various perspectives of the contributors are synthesized to point the way to the next level of Mexican-American empowerment, and ultimately, to a general theory of political integration.

As the Hispanic population in the U.S. grows, so too does its influence. The general election in 2000 marked an era of increased influence and awareness by Hispanics in politics both as voters and politicians. While it is clear that Latinos are influencing and changing politics, the impact on politics in the U.S. is still not clear. Authored by leading scholar, F. Chris Garcia and Gabriel Sanchez, Hispanics and the U.S. Political System : Moving into the Mainstream focuses on the historical, contemporary and future role of Hispanics in the United States.

An analysis of American politics from the vantage point of the Latino political condition.

While Latinos in the US are becoming a large, significant and growing political constituency, the US has has become increasingly and rapidly Latinized in many cultural aspects. This work takes an in-depth look at the political aspects of this cultural and political browning of America.

Using the most extensive and currently available survey opinion data, this book empirically supports the argument that Latinos have emerged as a convergent panethnic political group, beyond the individual national origin identities dating to the time of the 1990 Latino National Political Survey when Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans were treated conceptually as politically distinct groups. Replete with data and supplemented by an extensive online resource, this book offers scholars, students, and sophisticated general readers evidence and inspiration for understanding the dynamics of Latino politics in the U.S. today.

Latinos constitute the fastest-growing population in the United States today, and Latino political participation is growing rapidly. Still, Latino political power is not commensurate with the numbers, and much potential remains to be tapped. In LatinoPolitics in America, author John A. García examines the development of this vibrant community and points the way toward a future of shared interests and coalitions among the diverse Latino subgroups. This newly revised edition lays out the basic factsof Latino America—who Latinos are, where they come from, where they reside—and then connects these facts to political realities of immigration, citizenship, voting, education, organization, and leadership. García's nuanced portrait of contemporary Latinopolitical life, first published in 2003, has been updated throughout to include data from the 2010 census and the 2008 and 2010 elections.