Latino Lives in America

Latinos are the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, with increased levels of political mobilization and influence. In the timely and thoroughgoingLatino Lives in America,six prominent Latino scholars explore the profound implications of Latinosrs" population growth and geographic dispersion for American politics and society, tracking key changes and continuities in Latinos' attitudes, behavior, and social experiences. Utilizing a unique set of "narratives" from focus group interviews, supplemented with quantitative findings from the 2006 Latino National Survey, the authors provide a snapshot of Latino life in America. The Latinos interviewed provide their thoughts regarding their sense of belonging and group identification, assimilation and transnationalism, housing, education, civic engagement, and perceptions of discrimination, as well as their experiences in new destinations, where they are trying to realize the "Americano" dream. Latino Lives in Americauses these conversations and the survey data to offer both a micro and macro look at how Latinos are transforming various aspects of American politics, culture, and life and how their experiences in the United States are changing them and their families.

Luis R. Fraga is Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement, Director of the Diversity Research Institute, and Russell F. Stark University Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington.

John A. Garcia is Professor of Political Science at the University of Arizona.

Rodney E. Hero is the Packey J. Dee Professor American Democracy, in the Department of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame.

Michael Jones-Correa is Professor of Government at Cornell University.

Valerie Martinez-Ebers is Professor of Political Science at the University of North Texas.

Gary Segura is a Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, and Director of Chicano Studies in the Center for Comparative Studies of Race and Ethnicity.