The Latina/o population in the United States has become the largest minority group in the nation. Latinas/os are a mosaic of people, representing different nationalities and religions as well as different levels of education and income. This edited volume uses a multidisciplinary approach to document how Latinas and Latinos have changed and continue to change the face of America. It also includes critical methodological and theoretical information related to the study of the Latino/a population in the United States.

Offers a comprehensive historical overview of the "Latinization" of the United States that has occurred over the past four decades. Brings together the views of some of the foremost scholarly interpreters of the recent history of Latinos in the United States.

Hispanics and the Future of America presents details of the complex story of a population that varies in many dimensions, including national origin, immigration status, and generation. The papers in this volume draw on a wide variety of data sources to describe the contours of this population, from the perspectives of history, demography, geography, education, family, employment, economic well-being, health, and political engagement. They provide a rich source of information for researchers, policy makers, and others who want to better understand the fast-growing and diverse population that we call "Hispanic." The current period is a critical one for getting a better understanding of how Hispanics are being shaped by the U.S. experience. This will, in turn, affect the United States and the contours of the Hispanic future remain uncertain. The uncertainties include such issues as whether Hispanics, especially immigrants, improve their educational attainment and fluency in English and thereby improve their economic position; whether growing numbers of foreign-born Hispanics become citizens and achieve empowerment at the ballot box and through elected office; whether impending health problems are successfully averted; and whether Hispanics' geographic dispersal accelerates their spatial and social integration. The papers in this volume provide invaluable information to explore these issues.

During the past three centuries, California has stood at the crossroads of European, Asian, Native American and Latino cultures, and seen the best and worst of multiracial and multi-ethnic interaction. The Human Tradition in California captures the region's rich history and takes readers into the daily lives of ordinary Californians at key moments in time. Professors Davis and Igler have selected essays that emphasize how individual people and communities have experienced and influenced the broad social, cultural, political and economic forces that have shaped California history. Organized chronologically from the pre-mission period through the late-twentieth century, this book taps into the whole spectrum of Californian experience and offers new perspectives on the state's complex social character. The story is personalized through the use of mini-biographies, drawing readers directly into the narrative.