The Rise of the Hispanics I: Chicanos

TLDR: The first overview in this country of Mexican Americans and the Chicano movement, discussing a small selection of the outpouring of material on this subject, and suggesting that the time has come to incorporate the study of 'Greater Mexico' into the teaching of Latin American (and American) Studies.

Abstract: This article is the first overview in this country of Mexican Americans and the Chicano movement, discussing a small selection of the outpouring of material on this subject, and suggesting that the time has come to incorporate the study of 'Greater Mexico' into the teaching of Latin American (and American) Studies. The comparable case of the Cuban and Puerto Rican diasporas will have to wait for a later article. It might be objected that as Mexican-Americans are part of the population of the United States they are no concern for Latinamericanists. This seems to me a blinkered view. Hispanics now constitute the largest non-English speaking group in the United States, and although there are deep divisions within La Rata in social, economic and political terms, their affinity and ties with Latin America will increasingly exert an influence on the way in which the United States looks at its southern neighbours. Whether this influence will act as a bridge of understanding, as a support for Reaganite policies, or as a radicalizing force on U.S. public opinion is an open question, but U.S. foreign policy cannot be understood without an awareness of the influence of the increasing number of government officials of Hispanic origin. Where would the CIA's Latin American desk be without its exile advisers? The impact of the rise of the Hispanics on the future development of the United States and on its self-perception can no longer be ignored. It is now becoming clearer that some of the most sacred assumptions about America are being challenged by the Spanishspeaking groups, and especially those of Mexican descent. The internal consequences of the new assertiveness of Hispanics may not be of immediate concern to Latinamericanists. Changes in the electoral balance resulting from registration of hitherto politically apathetic MexicanAmericans are beginning to affect party alignments. Similarly, a faster demographic growth among Hispanics is affecting the ethnic balance in I7I