Fall 2006

LAS 337M • 8-LATINO POLITICS

Course Description

It is official. 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 examine the extent to which Latinos are represented at all levels of government, with particular emphasis on the Southwest and Texas. We will also examine how major public policies, like English-only legislation, immigration policy, and education policy impact the Latino community. We will delve deeper into the politics of Mexican Americans (Chicanos), Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans, as well as the differences between Latinas and Latinos. 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.

Grading Policy

Grades will be computed as follows: Exam I (February 20) 15% Exam II (March 29) 20% Exam III (May 5) 25% Book Review (April 28) 25% Quizzes (unannounced) 15% Total 100%

Texts

Garcëa, F. Chris. (1997). Pursuing Power: Latinos and the Political System Gutiérrez, David. (1995). Walls and Mirrors: Mexican Americans, Mexican Immigrants, and the Politics of Identity. Torres, Marëa de los Ángeles. (2001). In the Land of Mirrors: Cuban Exile Politics in the United States Highly Recommended to Purchase Garcëa, John A. (2003). Latino Politics in America: Community, Culture, and Interests **Other readings will be journal articles, or selected chapters from other books. These will be marked with an * below in the appropriate week. They can be found via ERes (Electronic Reserves System) at http://reserves.lib.utexas.edu/eres/default.aspx. The password for the course is "Latino2."

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