Focusing on the culture, politics and society of the distinctive Latino communities in the United States, The Latino Studies Reader draws on the most interesting recent work from Latino scholars and social critics in a comparative perspective. Representing over 10 per cent of the population in the United States, and growing faster than any other ethnic group, it is now more important than ever to examine the issues of Latinos who are predicted to become the largest ethnic-minority group by the year 2009. Conventional theories of 'race' and 'race relations', with its exclusive black/white focus, present serious theoretical problems as applied to Latinos. Therefore, Darder and Torres use "class analysis" as the major theoretical perspective in order to understand Latinos through social scientific theoretical and conceptual ideas. To reflect the variety of home countries and divergent socio-economic backgrounds of Latinos, The Latino Studies Reader draws on the experiences of Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, Cubanos, Caribbeans, Central and South Americans living in the United States. The volume is organized around four major themes: culture and histories; cultural politics; gender, sexuality and power; and labor and politics.

Table of Contents:
List of Contributors. Acknowledgements. Introduction. Latinos and Society: Culture, Politics, and Class: Antonia Darder (Claremont Graduate School in California) and Rodolfo D. Torres (California State University, Long Beach). Part I: Culture, History, and Society: A Conceptual Map: 1. Merging Borders: The Remapping of America: Edna Acosta-Belen and Carlos E. Santiago (Both State University of New York, Albany). 2. Encuentros y Encontronazos: Homeland in the Politics and Identity of the Cuban Diaspora: Maria de los Angeles Torres (DePaul University, Chicago). 3. Aztlan, Borinquen and Hispanic Nationalism in the United States: J. Jorge Klor de Alva (University of California, Berkeley). 4. Chicano History: Transcending Cultural Models: Gilbert Gonzalez and Raul Fernandez (University of California, Irvine). 5. Mapping the Spanish Language along a Multiethnic and Multilingual Border: Rosaura Sanchez (University of California, San Diego). Part II: Cultural Politics and Border Zones: Recasting Racialized Relations: 6. The Politics of Biculturalism: Culture and Difference in the Formation of Warriors from Gringostroika and the New Mestizas: Antonia Darder (Claremont Graduate School in California). 7. Beyond the Rainbow: Mapping the Discourse on the Puerto Ricans and "Race": Roberto P. Rodriguez-Morazzani (City University of New York). 8. Chicana Artists: Exploring Nepantla, El Lugar de la Frontera: Gloria Anzaldua. 9. The Shock of the New: Ruben Martinez. 10. Our Next Race Question: The Uneasiness between Blacks and Latinos: Jorge Klor de Alva, Earl Shorris, and Cornel West (Harvard University). Part III: Critical Discourses on Gender, Sexuality and Power: 11. Chicana Feminisms: Their Political Context and Contemporary Expressions: Denise A. Segura (University of California, Santa Barbara) and Beatriz M. Perquera (University of California, Davis). 12. Crazy Wisdom: Memories of a Cuban Queer: Lourdes Arguelles(Claremont Graduate School, California). 13. Teatro Viva!: Latino Performance and the Politics of AIDS in Los Angeles: David Roman (University of Southern California). 14. The Latin Phallus: Ilan Stavans (Amherst College). Part IV: Labor and Politics in a Global Economy: The Latino Metropoles: 15. Rank and File: Historical Perspectives on Latino/a Workers in the US: Zaragosa Vargas (University of California, Santa Barbara). 16. Latinos in a "Post-Industrial" Disorder: Politics in a Changing City: Victor Valle (California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo) and Rodolfo D. Torres (California State University, Long Beach). 17. What's Yellow and White and Has Land All Around It? : Appropriating Place in Puerto Rican Barrios: Luis Aponte-Pares(University of Massachusetts). 18. Caribbean Colonial Immigrants in the Metropoles: A Research Agenda: Ramon Grosfoguel (State University of New York, Binghamton). Index.