1. Community Building in Latino America
Chapter 2

2. Examination of Latino Politics in U.S.
Dynamic formulation of community
w/ diversities & similarities among its members.
Discussion of politics centered on:
Substance of power
Influence
Resources
& interest articulation
Latino politics represents an aggregation of persons whose origins &/or ancestry can be connected to over 20+ countries in Latin America & on the Iberian Peninsula.

3. What brings Latinos together?
Spanish language
Similar cultural values
Similar practices
As well as similar histories
& targeted public policies
Underlying this view is the assumption that persons w/ a common ancestry & culture will come together to achieve common objectives & address common concerns.

4. What is a community? Community:
As referenced in your text, refers to the connections between persons that formulate a sense of place, being, & membership in a larger whole.

5. Hispanic Prevalence
Four factors for “Hispanic” as an umbrella term utilized for Spanish speaking community:
U.S. history & events
Mass media
Latino community itself
Latino activists Pg

6. Review of Race v. Ethnicity
Race discussed in terms of:
Phenotype, skin color, biology, social structure, & ancestry.
Public policies of one-drop rule reinforced the concept of race as more directly connected to skin color & a defined racial categorization.
Ethnicity is commonly associated w/:
Ancestry or national origin.

7. Race & Ethnicity…why are they important to Latino Politics in the U.S.
The social & historical context of the terms (race & ethnicity) is an important dimension of politics, power, & influence in American society.
From the perspective of your text, Garcia operates on the notion that ethnicity & race are interrelated concepts that establish:
Group boundaries
Behaviors
& inter-& intragroup relations

8. Identifiable factors as themes
Four identifiable factors in Latino development in the U.S. serve as consistent themes & concepts that carry a discussion throughout Garcia’s text:
1. Diversity w/in & between Latino subgroups
2. Common linkages across the subgroups historically, culturally, linguistically, & politically
3. Internal dynamics among Latinos defining, refining, & strategically developing their communities
4. The role of external forces, such as public policies & public opinion & movements that activate the Latino communities.

9. What does Latino Politics result from?
Latino politics results from the interaction of initiatives:
Undertaken by persons & organizations across the various Latino sub-communities as well as the:
social & political structures
practices
& attitudes of the larger U.S. political community.

10. Is There a Latino Community & What Does That Mean?
Two bases of community presented by Garica associated w/:
Concepts of commonalty of culture
Sense of ethnicity may not automatically lead to community action
Commonalty of interests
If Latino sub-communities can share commonalities of culture & interests, each can work interactively w/ the other.
Use cultural cues & symbols to work towards specific goals & objectives
Such cultural maintenance & practices can serve as political content of a Latino political agenda.
Pg. 18

11. Demographic Explosion
Instead of 1 million Cubans in the U.S., it is advantageous to talk about 45 million Latinos
Larger population base & greater national geographic dispersion enhances greater political effectiveness & exposure
Simultaneously, such large #s doesn’t necessarily mean guaranteed political power
The actual nature of creating a Latino community is a strategic move to increase the potential political resource base by accenting both commonalties of culture & interests.

12. Beyond Conceptualization of Community…the data
Latino National Survey (LNS):
A probability survey conducted from 2005 to 2006 of 8,634 Latino adults in fifteen states & metropolitan Washington, DC.
It covers subjects such as:
Political & civic engagement
Identity
Transnationalism
Public policy preferences
Demographic characteristics
Attitudes
Partisanship
& Voting

13. Beyond Conceptualization of Community…the data
Latino National Political Survey (LNPS):
Conducted from 1989 to 1990
The first national probability survey of adults of Mexican, Cuban, & Puerto Rican origin. It focuses on:
political attitudes & behavior
Group identity
Policy preferences
& other aspects of political life

14. Examining the Data Spanish Language Use among Latinos
Age Structure & Latinos
Educational Attainment Levels
Household Income among Latinos
Religious Affiliation & Religiosity Pg

15. The Pan-ethnic Dimension & the “Latino-Hispanic” Label
Pan-ethnicity:
Refers to the process of group formation due to common conditions & bases for community
Additional critical component lies w/ the situational nature of pan-ethnicity
Individuals can consciously choose a group identity that serves a specific utility (usage)
i.e. political Pg
Example of mixed “Latino” background 4 yr. old little girl

16. Conclusions
Garcia uses concepts of commonalty of interests & culture as two foundational bases for the creation & maintenance of the Latino community.
Situations help influence the identity process of individuals
Examination of development & existence of community among Latino origin persons in U.S.
Primary Goal: explore linkages of community to the political realms of agenda setting, political mobilization, political resource development, & public policy outcomes & implementation.