Synopses & Reviews
Much of our knowledge of Latino politics in the United States is filled with myths and misperceptions based on anecdotal accounts gathered by news reporters or self-designated experts. It is also not unusual for individuals to assume that what is true of the Mexican-origin population is also true of Puerto Ricans or another Latin American ancestry groups. There are over twenty countries in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, so to pick draw general conclusions based on one example is perilous. There are also important and often overlooked differences between Latino immigrants and those who are non-immigrants or who have been living in the country for many generations. Differences between Latinos who are Democrats and those who are Republicans are often significant. Latino America challenges many of the myths surrounding Latino politics and identifies areas of commonality and differences across varying types of Latinos.
Understanding the complexity and particulars of this landscape is important because Latino Americans are a growing and decisive part of the electorate. Latinos cast roughly 5 million more ballots in 2012 than they did in 2004. By 2020 they will comprise a quarter of the electorate. What they want will drive party policy. Indeed the same dynamics that have ousted Republicans from Colorado and Nevada and nearly eliminated their participation in every avenue of government throughout California are now changing the playing field in other Republican strongholds such as Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. The shift in Latino support from Bush to Romney (40% to 23%) represents the largest inter-election movement of any racial and ethnic group during this period and unless the GOP can listen to and act for Latinos, the political earthquake has only just begun.
Review
"Those seeking a smart, data-driven analysis of the politics of Latino America will want to grab a copy of Barreto and Seguraand#8217;s contribution.and#8221;and#151;
Washington Post"Pulling together demographic data, survey data, and in-depth interviews, Barreto (Univ. of Washington) and Segura (Stanford Univ.) weave a complex, detailed picture of the multifaceted nature of Latino public opinion and political behavior."and#151;CHOICE
"Few demographic changes have exercised the American political mind as much as the inexorable rise of Latino America, and Barreto and Segura's masterful work of social science is a clear and sober-minded analyses of this complex subject."and#151;Publishers Weekly
and#147;A pertinent, useful study of significant trends in the American political landscape.and#8221;and#151;Kirkus Reviews
and#147;If you want to get to know us, Hispanics, first read Latino America. Matt Barreto and Gary Segura know what the future will look like. With an independent, non-partisan approach, they brilliantly describe how Latinos are changing the face of Americaand#133;and everything else. In their book, Latino America, there is a big idea: Latinos are dramatically transforming this country and there is no turning back. Latinos are going from big numbers to new power. California is leading the way but the rest of the nation will follow. Latino America is the key to that future.and#8221;and#151;Jorge Ramos, News Anchor, Univision/Fusion
Synopsis
Sometime in April 2014, somewhere in a hospital in California, a Latino child tipped the demographic scales as Latinos displaced non-Hispanic whites as the largest racial/ethnic group in the state. So, one-hundred-sixty-six years after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo brought the Mexican province of Alta California into the United States, Latinos once again became the largest population in the state. Surprised? Texas will make the same transition sometime before 2020.
When that happens, Americaand#8217;s two most populous states, carrying the largest number of Electoral College votes, will be Latino. New Mexico is already there. New York, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada are shifting rapidly. Latino populations since 2000 have doubled in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and South Dakota. The US is undergoing a substantial and irreversible shift in its identity.
So, too, are the Latinos who make up these populations. Matt Barreto and Gary M. Segura are the countryand#8217;s preeminent experts in the shape, disposition, and mood of Latino America. They show the extent to which Latinos have already transformed the US politically and socially, and how Latino Americans are the most buoyant and dynamic ethnic and racial group, often in quite counterintuitive ways. Latinosand#8217; optimism, strength of family, belief in the constructive role of government, and resilience have the imminent potential to reshape the political and partisan landscape for a generation and drive the outcome of elections as soon as 2016.
Synopsis
A pertinent, useful study of significant trends in the American political landscape.”—Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Dr. Matt Barreto and
Dr. Gary Segura are leading Latino politics scholars and professors at the University of Washington and Stanford University. Both Dr. Barreto and Dr. Segura and are nationally respected researchers with a deep understanding of Latino culture and advanced quantitative research skills. Their expertise, coupled with Pacific Market Research's logistical capabilities, makes Latino Decisions a leader in the field. Both authors have extensive media experienced and are regular commentators on Latino America. Their polling, predictions, and analysis of the Latino electorate are regularly cited by respected outlets including: Univision, the
New York Times, ABC News, National Public Radio, impreMedia, NBC News, the
Wall Street Journal, CNN and many, many others. They work with a diverse client base of leading companies, research institutions, public policy, and advocacy organizations interested in a wide range of issues pertinent to the increasingly influential Latino community.