GOV 370K LATINO POLITICS
MAS 374, LAS 337M cross-listings
Course Description:
Latinos are now the largest minority group in the United States, and any follower of recent elections knows that both political parties have heavily courted the Latino vote. The course will begin by examining the history of Latinos in the United States, including the diverse nature of the Latino community. We will begin with an introduction to the Chicano movement, and its major players, Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales and Reies Lopes Tijerina. We will examine the extent to which Latinos are represented at all levels of government, including school boards, state legislatures, and Congress. We will also examine major public policies, like the origins of English-only legislation and recent efforts to revive such policies. We will also examine immigration policy, including a brief history of how immigration has affected people of Latino backgrounds, including the potential impact of proposed policies such as a guest worker program on Latino political incorporation. Finally, we will examine education policy, especially how No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has impacted the Latino community, as well as the determinants of the high school dropout problem, which is highest in the Latino community. We will delve deeper into the politics of Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans, by examining the Puerto Rican political experience in New York City, as well as the Cuban American “model” in Miami. New waves of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Central America, and South America have also changed the traditional focus on the three large Latino groups. Additionally, we will examine how traditional gender roles have subordinated Latinas, especially in the Chicano movement, but also in many recent political events. We will conclude by examining the future of the Latino vote by examining Latino voting behavior in recent elections and how the future may look for both political parties.
Required Texts
García, F. Chris and Gabriel R. Sanchez. (2008). Hispanics and the U.S. Political System: Moving into the Mainstream. Prentice Hall
Geron, Kim. (2005) Latino Political Power. Lynne Rienner Press
Torres, Maria de los Angeles. (1999). In the Land of Mirrors: Cuban Exile Politics in the United States. University of Michigan Press
**Other readings will be journal articles, or selected chapters from other books. These will be marked with an * below in the appropriate week.
Course Grading
Grades will be computed as follows:
Exam I 20%
Exam II 25%
Exam III 30%
Book Review 20%
Random Attendance Quizzes 5%
Total 100%
Exams
The exams will test your knowledge of the readings, lectures, and films.
Random Attendance
Random attendance quizzes will be given throughout the semester. They may include true/false or short answer questions about the readings. The lowest quiz score will be dropped. No makeups allowed for quizzes.
Book Review
Each review should be 5-7 pages in length (double-spaced, 12 point, 1 inch margins). Possible books to review will be suggested in class and/or office hours. I must approve your choice of a book. The book must be related to Latino politics in some major way. Suggestions on how to go about writing the review, and the instructor’s expectations will be discussed in class.
