Valerie Martinez-Ebers

Su Casa Es Nuestra Casa: Latino Politics Research and the Development of American Political Science

Since the 1970s, Latino politics research has evolved, alternately responding to real-world political events and demographic changes, embracing new and emerging trends in the broader discipline, and offering new insights of its own that contribute to the development of political science. In so doing, there have emerged both an intellectual foundation and a growing body of empirical results, each of which challenges long-held theories and findings in the discipline more broadly. Thus, Latino politics research is central in refining and broadening our understanding of American politics. Immigration, social marginality, and their uncertain status as a racial or ethnic minority make this population unique and raise important obstacles in applying existing interpretations and orthodoxies from the disciplines other traditions to this emerging and rapidly growing segment of American society. The major contributions of this line of inquiry are identified in five key areas: pluralism, group identity and mobilization, political participation, institutions and representation, and assimilation. We conclude with some thoughts regarding how the evolution of American society and its Latino population will pose important questions for future generations of political scientists.

Gender and Ethnicity: Patterns of Electoral Success and Legislative Advocacy Among Latina and Latino State Officials in Four States

SUMMARY In this article we examine the patterns of gendered representation and related legislative advocacy within Latino delegations to four state legislatures in the Southwest. Most agree that one of the most significant changes in American politics in the post-civil rights era is the increasing election of women and people of color, but there is less agreement about the magnitude, consistency, and impact of this representation. Moreover, little is known about how these patterns vary by state. First, we examine the patterns of gendered and ethnic election in the states of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas from 1990–2004. We find considerable variation across these states, relative to both women and Latinos, but the presence of Latinas within the Latino/a delegation has noticeably increased across all the states and at a rate that outpaces the increase in women in the legislatures overall. Second, using original survey data supplemented with elite interviews, we explore perceived differences in the representational priorities and related behaviors, issue agendas, and policy successes between Latinas and Latino men. We find a number of similarities but also find distinct differences that reveal Latinas place greater emphasis on representing the interests of multiple minority groups, promoting conflict resolution, and building consensus in both the legislature as a whole and within the Latino caucus. Latinas also are more likely than Latino men to introduce and successfully pass legislation that addresses the issue agenda held by both Latina and Latino legislators.

Latino Interests in Education, Health, and Criminal Justice Policy

n many ways, America, as a nation, is becoming Latinoized. In significant parts of the country, breakfast tacos are preferred to biscuits and gravy, futbol to football, and salsa to ketchup. At the same time, Latino artists like Carlos Santana, Ricky Martin, and Gloria Estefan have recently reigned over the pop charts. Latinos like Bill Richardson, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Henry Cisneros are recognized as influential Washington politicos and many Latinos and Latinas, representing diverse constituencies, serve prominently in the U.S. Congress. Despite the ascendency of Latino culture, few Americans understand how the growth in the size and influence of the U.S. Latino population might potentially influence important policy decisions. To begin to address this deficiency, we briefly highlight how current policies in education, health, and crimi-

A Demographic Profile of Latinos in the United States

Despite this tremendous growth and presence, Lati nos are often underserved or unable to access healthcare services. This, in large part, is a result of the concentrati on of Lati nos in job sectors that are low wage, high risk, and do not provide benefi ts, as well as a result of other factors, such as low socioeconomic status, language, and culture. Because Lati nos are the second largest group in the U.S., their health and well being is crucial to the current and future well being of the enti re U.S. populati on from a public health perspecti ve.