Thomas D. Boswell

RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION BY SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS IN METROPOLITAN MIAMI: 1990

This paper investigates the proposition that socioeconomic status explains a significant amount of the residential segregation between Hispanics, non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and non-Hispanic others (mainly Asians) in metropolitan Miami. First, we test to determine if there is significant segregation within each of the four ethnic groups and we find that there is, except for Blacks. Although the index of dissimilarity suggests that there is segregation by socioeconomic status within Miamis Black population, map analysis reveals that this is not the case. Furthermore, we find that socioeconomic status is not an important factor explaining metropolitan Miamis segregation patterns between these four ethnic groups. When it comes to residential segregation, Miami is similar to most other American cities. This is a significant finding because several recent studies have suggested that standard assimilation theory does not apply to Miami, and segregation is one aspect of assimilation.

Spanish as an Economic Resource in Metropolitan Miami

Abstract This article is a case study of Miami as a linguistic marketplace; its purpose is to inform educational policymakers of the economic and cultural advantage of developing a multilingual workforce. The growth of Metro-Miami’s Spanish language economy is a result of recent demographics and increased international trade and commerce. Although global education and proficiency in languages in addition to English have been recognized as essential in preparing a competent future workforce, serious statewide deliberations about language proficiency development overlook Florida students who already speak those languages. Therefore, national, state, and local policy recommendations are made for promoting bilingualism and biliteracy, countering the current process of language shift in immigrant populations, and changing the attitudes that pose multilingualism as a threat.

The Cuban-American Homeland in Miami

As metropolitan Miamis population has experienced a radical change in its ethnic composition since Fidel Castros revolution in Cuba in 1959, it has become a second homeland for the United States Cuban-American population. This article documents the ethnic change that has taken place in Miami during the past three decades. As evidence of the emergence of Miami as a homeland in absentia the following topics are discussed: the growth and dispersion of the citys Cubans, Miami as a magnet for Cubans living elsewhere in the U.S., the Hispanic economic enclave that has developed in Miami, the emergence of Cubans as a major political force, the development ofmunicipios in exile in Miami, and the possibilities of the return to Cuba by Cuban Americans if the current communist government were to fall in their island of origin.

HOUSING PREFERENCES AND ATTITUDES OF BLACKS TOWARD HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN METROPOLITAN MIAMI

Significant housing discrimination against Blacks continues to exist in Metropolitan Miami, as it does in most other large United States cities. Blacks in Miami live in neighborhoods that are not nearly as segregated by socioeconomic status as are Hispanic and non-Hispanic White neighborhoods. This study uses data derived from interviews of 432 Black heads of households living in Miami neighborhoods that are at least 50% Black. Although most of the African Americans interviewed said they think their neighborhood is desirable and said they want to live where they do, it is clear that they are not living where they most prefer. They live in predominantly Black neighborhoods because they feel unwelcome in White neighborhoods and they fear housing discrimination in the latter. Among other problems, the continued residential concentration of Blacks in predominantly Black neighborhoods of mixed socioeconomic status in Miami results in a bidding up of the price of housing that is left for the less affluent Blacks.

A Review of “The Experience of Return Migration: Caribbean Perspectives”

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Socioeconomic Context of Cuban Americans

This study provides a socioeconomic profile of the Cuban American population. As a means of reference, Cuban Americans are compared: (1) to the entire Hispanic population and (2) to the total population of the United States. In addition, Cubans living in Miami, Florida are compared to those living in Union City-West New York, New Jersey. Together, these two urban concentrations comprise approximately 75% of the entire Cuban American population. Although the latest wave of 130,000 immigrants from Mariel, Cuba are not included in the data used in this study, generalizations are made regarding their characteristics and probable impact on Miami, based on available preliminary information