Latino Americans and Political Participation

An examination by distinguished Latino/a scholars of the increasing influence of 37 million Latino/a Americans on U.S. electoral and social movements. Latino/a Americans hold the potentially largest swing vote in U.S. elections and are a growing influence on the nation's politics. This diverse group, including Cuban Americans, Puerto Ricans, Mexican Americans, Central and South Americans, and Caribbean Americans, occupies a role in American society that is quickly exerting a significant impact on electoral and social movements.Latino Americans and Political Participation examines Latino/a American political behavior, covering both electoral and other political issues. The essays provide thorough accounts of the relevant people, places, and events and provide a broad overview of Latino/a political participation in the United States. The information is accessible to individuals new to the topic, but there is extensive coverage to satisfy experienced researchers as well. The volume is rich with case studies and contains information on important political figures, key political events, and a guide to supplementary literature and resources. Contributors include prominent Latino/a scholars who provide a thorough review of the academic literature on such subjects as political demography, protest politics, interest groups, social movement participation, and political representation in national, state, local, and community-level politics.