The Columbia History of Latinos in the United States Since 1960 - by David Gutiérrez (Paperback)

About the Book

"The Columbia History of Latinos in the United States Since 1960" provides cutting-edge interpretations of recent Latino history, including essays on the six major immigrant groups (Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Central Americans, and South Americans) and insight into areas of important historical debate. Contributors explore the recent histories of all the major national and regional Latino subpopulations and reflect on what these historical trends might mean for the future of both the United States and the other nations of the Western Hemisphere. While at one point the histories of national populations might have been explored in isolation from one another, all of the contributors to this volume highlight the deep transnational ties and interconnections that bind different peoples across national and regional lines. Each chapter on Latino national subpopulations considers the ambiguous and shifting boundaries that so loosely define them both in the United States and in their countries of origin. This multinational perspective informs a realistic interpretation of the Latino experience in the United States and makes this text a singularly important resource.

Book Synopsis

Latinos are now the largest so-called minority group in the United States--the result of a growth trend that began in the mid-twentieth century--and the influence of Latin cultures on American life is reflected in everything from politics to education to mass cultural forms such as music and television. Yet very few volumes have attempted to analyze or provide a context for this dramatic historical development. The Columbia History of Latinos in the United States Since 1960 is among the few comprehensive histories of Latinos in America. This collaborative, interdisciplinary volume provides not only cutting-edge interpretations of recent Latino history, including essays on the six major immigrant groups (Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Central Americans, and South Americans), but also insight into the major areas of contention and debate that characterize Latino scholarship in the early twenty-first century.

This much-needed book offers a broad overview of this era of explosive demographic and cultural change by exploring the recent histories of all the major national and regional Latino subpopulations and reflecting on what these historical trends might mean for the future of both the United States and the other increasingly connected nations of the Western Hemisphere. While at one point it may have been considered feasible to explore the histories of national populations in isolation from one another, all of the contributors to this volume highlight the deep transnational ties and interconnections that bind different peoples across national and regional lines. Thus, each chapter on Latino national subpopulations explores the ambiguous and shifting boundaries that so loosely define them both in the United States and in their countries of origin. A multinational perspective on important political and cultural themes--such as Latino gender systems, religion, politics, expressive and artistic cultures, and interactions with the law--helps shape a realistic interpretation of the Latino experience in the United States.

Review Quotes

Authoritative collection...wisely eschews neat conclusions.--Cheryl Harris Sharman "San Francisco Chronicle"

Gutiérrez provides a realistic and powerful interpretation of the Latino experience in America. This book is a must read for researchers, policymakers, community leaders, educators, and, indeed, anyone wishing to study the Latino experience and influence on American life.--Carmen Izaguirre "Monthly Labor Review"

It will become a major reference for graduate and faculty research...Highly recommended.-- "Choice"

The book is a valuable contribution.--Susan J. Freiband "American Reference Books Annual"

This essay collection is informative, thought-provoking, and well-timed.-- "Western Historical Quarterly"

This is an important and much-needed anthology of 11 essays covering various aspects of recent (1960 to present) U.S. Latino history.--Orlando Archibeque "Reforma Newsletter"

About the Author

David G. Gutiérrez is associate professor of history at the University of California, San Diego. His publications include Walls and Mirrors: Mexican Americans, Mexican Immigrants, and the Politics of Ethnicity and Between Two Worlds: Mexican Immigrants in the United States.
David G. Gutiérrez is professor of history at the University of California, San Diego.
David G. Gutiérrez is professor of history at the University of California, San Diego.