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What is the future of the Latino Bloc?

What is the future of the Latino Bloc?. Profe Jos é Alamillo CES 359: Latino/a Politics Spring 2008. Thesis #1: Latino population is not a cohesive unity. “Bloc” emphasizes the potential for links and alliances among various elements of the Latino/a population despite its heterogeneity

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What is the future of the Latino Bloc?

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  1. What is the future of the Latino Bloc? Profe José Alamillo CES 359: Latino/a Politics Spring 2008

  2. Thesis #1: Latino populationis not a cohesive unity • “Bloc” emphasizes the potential for links and alliances among various elements of the Latino/a population despite its heterogeneity • “Collectivity-in-difference” or “unity in difference” or “nexus of diverse groups” • How are different organizations building alliances to address problems in the Latino community?

  3. Thesis #2: U.S. Latino blocis a late capitalist phenomenon • Late capitalism refers to a new kind of capitalism that is loyal only to the bottom line, moves rapidly across national borders • “We are here, because you were there” (U.S. interventions in Latin American countries) • Neoliberalism through free-trade agreements leads to austerity measures thus displacing workers that become emigrants. • N.A.F.T.A. should be called “investor rights agreement”

  4. Thesis #3: Latina/o identity is multinational and multiracial • “Hispanic” and “Latino” categories are a U.S. phenomenon • “Latino” suggests a cohesive group, but includes 21 ethnicities and erases the African, Asian and indigenous ancestry • Not all Latino/as speak Spanish • Most Latinos prefer to identify by national origin than “Latino” or “Hispanic” • Then why seek an umbrella term? For political reasons

  5. Thesis #4: Latino/as are marked by cultural exchange and adaptation • There are no “pure” Latino languages and cultures • There are many different types of assimilation (economic, social and cultural)

  6. Thesis #5: Latino bloc is divided by homeland ties and national origin • Myth of return to homeland divides the community • Long settled communities vs. recently arrived communities (i.e. gang rivalries) • These generational and national-origin divisions are at root class based divisions

  7. Thesis #6: The Latino bloc is shaped by repeated migratory waves • The issue of immigration continues to divide the Latino communities • Latinos as “perpetual foreigners” • Conflation of Latinos with foreigner/ terrorist/ gangbanger/ criminality

  8. Thesis #7: Latino bloc is urban population • The concentration of Latinos in cities leads to fragmentation, residential segregation, gang problems

  9. Thesis 8: Latino bloc divided by social location • Latinos are largely a working class population • Class location of Latinos relates to their level and quality of education they receive. (place of residence = poor schools) • Latino elite act as gate-keepers and political power brokers

  10. Thesis #9: Latinos “not feeling at home” in the U.S. • Sense of rootlessness linked to their social and economic condition • Treated as cultural “Other” (where are you from? no really?) • Dis-identification with the term “American” and public schools thus turn to gangs

  11. Thesis #10: Latinos are divided by gender, sexism and sexuality • Sexism and masculinity issues in the Latino community • Beyond “Machismo” and Mandilon • Homophobia in the Latino community (Catholic Church)

  12. Thesis #11: Latino/as are full of contradictions • Latinos also adopt neoconservative policies and practices • Ethnicity (“identity politics”) blinds us to and we ignore whose political and economic interests are they serving • Move beyond the “double-bind” (“Not Mexican enough” and “sell out/vendidos” )

  13. Latinas Redefining Politics • 1996-2006 Latina elected officials increased by 73% compared to 26% of Latino elected officials • Latina leadership styles are more community-oriented and participatory (Hardy Fanta) • Latinas synthesize the private-public selves (Cuevas, and Mendez- • WA State: Phyllis Gutierrez Kenny, Margarita Prentice, Ramona Fonseca, and Rosalinda Guillen • More research needed on masculinity issues among Latino male leaders

  14. Potential Future Voters:Young Latinos • According to the Pew Hispanic Center Latinos are the fastest-growing segment of the electorate nationwide, generating about 400,000 new eligible voters per year. • Young Latino people, 18-to 25-year-olds are leading the way. • Voto Latino Project: RU a Txt Votr? Text Messaging Registers 50,000 Young Latinos • LULAC’s “The Power of the Latino Vote”

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